Artificer Project
by Prime Revolver
Summary: The visible wounds have healed, but some scars run deeper...The visible scars will fade, but I know with dire certainty others never will. -Optimus Prime, TF Spotlight. In step forward The Angels of Fate and Mercy. -complete
1. preface

_"To me it suffices to wonder at these secrets and to attempt humbly to grasp with my mind a mere of the lofty structure of all that there is." -_Albert Einstein

**Preface**

(Half a year and/or plus into the future from present time)

oOoOo----oOoOo

Space. It is infinite, very few things occupied it when you look up at the stars an know and think deeply about it. It is one of the last great things that hadn't been contaminated by man or any other creature for that matter. Everything about the vast abyss that our own home excises in, is uncertain, _unknown_ about it. There was nothing about the blackness with littered stars above our heads that would even be clear to us, never be known to the fullest.

Despite the vastness of the universes that the Milky Way shares existence with there were very few planets that actually had intelligent life on them. And if there was intelligent life it was most likely very primitive and the creatures that inhabited the planets had yet to look up at the stars and be able to question their existence or look up and wonder and ask 'what was up there if anything at all? Are _we_ alone?'

There were few exceptions to this. One planet had long since asked that phenomenal question. This planet lived out of normal space and time existing in its own universe with a beautiful star to help power its cities when solar power was used or needed. Its universe was unreachable by man or machine protected by space and time itself.

One of their many main goals of the planet was to unravel space itself, map it, and explore it. But there were other goals of this planet, always is, and some goals are unknown to civilians. As the civilians of this colossal silver duo ringed pearl continue with there daily lives completely oblivious that there _is_ something amiss that could change the fate of more than their world happening.

As of now the universes not just theirs or two others were trembling with fear while only a select few know of the turmoil-taking place. They were going to stop if with any means necessary but that wasn't there choice it _was_ . . .someone else's.

Silence was space but as if some type of natural or unnatural phenomena a loud pop empty space was tore open revealing a large gray white hole that didn't seem to enter into anything. That's the only way it could be explained unless you saw it, space just opened up without warning. The borders of the white gray portal glowed with black spiky matter kin to electricity of unknown origins.

Black sparks were thrown out as a fuzzy grayish figure started to come into view within the portals gut like a figure in the fog. Slowly yelling could be heard from within in the gray and white smug of the portal. Like an anime flick a mostly light blue blur fell or tumbled out the lack of gravity making the figure float on. Now floating aimlessly on in space giving a quick shake of his head to clear it the metal figure looked up at the portal up side down.

Letting out a gasp the sky blue figure started trying to turn him self right side up and get out of the way before he was 'attacked' by another figure that sounded like a female scream. It was too late though with a loud clang of metal impacting with metal the slightly smaller figure collided with its companion sending them both a little father from the portal.

Silence fell from them both the electrical cracking of the portal the only sound. The smaller slenderer figure put black hand to its mouth, turquoise optics closed shut tightly.

"I think I'm going to purge my tanks," it mumbled with a femme voice from behind its hand.

The female figure was on top shook its head so it wouldn't see stars any more sighed and frowned "I think we should have mastered portals vorns ago." Shrugging, "But that's my opinion," he deadpanned dramatically.

Slowly the two untangled their limbs from the other and somewhat righted themselves. As the femme let her intakes slowly settle her companion watched quietly by her side offering quiet comfort to her. They both watched quietly as the portal they had arrived from was quit literally disintegrating right there just like a painting flaking off an old wall.

Oddly the black electricity remained as if unscathed that almost its entire mass was floating away. The two beings watched it with no concern completely us to this. The little flacks that slowly started to get smaller blew away with a nonexistent wing and turned into small insignificant subatomic partials.

The sky blue and black mech with electric blue optics looked down putting a hand around the smaller femme's shoulders. "Roulette you okay there?" he asked

She was still holding her abdomen and bent over "I'm never going to get us to that."

Giving a chuckle the sky blue mech turned around surveying the empty space around him. They went through portals plenty of times over the vorns but for some reason the small and considerably younger femme known as Roulette, never had been able to get us to it. He knew she'd be okay in a little while anyway.

Slowly the maroon black and bright red-rimed femme straightened up and put her hands on her hips. Looking over her shoulder at her sky blue companion who was looking around like he was lost. "We go through this every time," she murmured. "How many times have we done this again?"

The last few pieces of the portal were now in the process of disintegrating into nothingness. A loud annoying beeping tore them to other matters that needed tending to. The beeping had an easily remembered pattern but it lacked rhythm that's what made it so teeth grinding.

Roulette reached around to her side and pulled out a small silver device that fit easily in the palm of her hand from her sub-space pocket. Taking a quick glance over at Oblivion who was waiting patiently, serious, she flipped it open like a cell phone that didn't exist in the time frame they were in well sort anyway.

Speaking into the device little lights on its top blinking, "Agent Roulette and Oblivion here my lord" she said in a voice that didn't seem to fit her

There was a pause with only static coming out of the small device but that was understandable. They were in a different setting, fore say, and they were a long away from home.

_::Please don't call me that, 'sir' will suffice nicely Roul'.::_

The voice that came of the devices audio was uncannily young sounding but at the same time you could practically heard the wisdom and knowledge seeping from an experience soul. At the same time the voice sounded so familiar but not to Roulette and Oblivion they knew no other mech with the same voice. To them it was there leader's voice.

Roulette grinned ignoring her sky blue comrades snickering off to the side of her, "My apologies sir, old habit I suppose."

There was a light chuckle from the other end of the line _::Quit all right Roulette:: _there was a short pause before the mech on the other line started back out again _::We got that you arrived slightly off course from your destination but it shouldn't be to far. Can you confirm your assignment is within visual Roulette?::_

Humor gone only to be replaced with seriousness the femme turned around to her comrade who was already in the process of finding out this information. He turned around with his right arm, smiled as he pointed toward nine o'clock of the maroon and black femme position.

Roulette gaped at what she saw; mesmerized by it she almost forgot that she had to answer her superior, "_Beautifully_ confirmed sir."

_::Good I am sure you don't have to be told your next time for your report is due?:: _

Roulette turned her turquoise optics back toward the device and let a small smile grace her dark gray lips, "No sir."

_::Till then::_

"Till then sir. Oblivion and Roulette out."

Putting slight pressure on the back of the devices lid with a snap it closed and with one fluent motion she placed it back into sub-space. Turning back around Roulette floated over to her comrade's side an join him in their site seeing. They weren't quit sure how long they floated their awestruck at what they saw.

"It's beautiful," whispered Roulette as if afraid to break the silence.

Just out of the distance of the planets primitive satellites the two just stared down at a blue and white gem of a planet. They'd heard so many tells, seen so many pictures of this planet but never had actually _seen_ it. From their distance they could see the landmasses, continents, the different shads of blue from the oceans below that covered 70 percent of the planet surface. Mountain ranges, volcanoes, rivers, lakes, just to name a few.

It was a _spectacular_ site.

Oblivion made a face after a few minutes like he was deciding something serious. "It's so . . ._small_." Using two fingers to depict the size.

Grunting Roulette put her hand on her hip and pushed the light blue mech sending him floating away from her by accident. . .sort of. "Oblivion!"

Oblivion chuckled letting him self float until he was upside down a few feet away from the femme "What its true! You could fit like _ten-thousand _of that little planet inside ours!"

"Yes I know just don't insult the planet, its _very_ important," sighing. "We have a time frame let's get going!"

Oblivion mumbled something under his breath in his native language. Up righting him self, or what felt like it since space had no up or down. Raising his arm out in front of him he narrowed his electric blue optics before completely off-lining them and became serious as he concentrated on whatever he was about to do but at the same time relaxed. Roulette floated over beside him quietly waiting and watching her comrade do his work.

Suddenly Oblivion snapped on his optics but instead of electric blue they were a foggy white. Abstract blazing light blue symbols shot up his out stretched arm ending at his shoulder and parts of his neck structure. His hand was glowing light blue with energy, you could almost _feel_ it.

Slowly the space in front of them started twisting, that's the only was to describe it. You could almost feel the space twisting and distorting it look like ripples in a bond or pure clear water going down a drain. It was a rather unique site to say the least.

Suddenly a loud crack sounded making the ears ring. The crack was almost just like when the portal opened up that let the two of them through to where they were now. Instead of looking like fog or thick milk it was electric looking almost and rather dangerous at that. The energy from the portal and space tearing apart unnaturally started crackling sparking out everywhere dancing around the two 'bot giving them a brilliant light show.

Slowly but notable the portal was growing with size far larger than the last, a gray figure that was almost as large as the portal itself was casually coming into being. What ever was on the other side dwarfed the two bot's significantly.

And just as it had been activated the portal with a flash of luminous light the portal turned off. What Oblivion had summoned for its own sup-space was a large enough vessel to transport them both comfortably to the planet a few hundred miles that way. With the advanced technology they ship possessed they didn't have to worry about hiding.

Optics switching back to their normal electric blue Oblivion looked over at the maroon and black fem-bot floating beside him and grinned, "That never gets old ya know."

Rolling her optics, "Come on bro let's go." Oblivion frowned but followed her all the same.

The side airlock door to the ship was already opening slipping in quickly the two admittedly got to work starting up the small vessel. With only a few moments the small sleek vessel was off with a fluent motion heading toward the blue and white gem that you would know as. . .Earth.

T.B.C . . .

----oOoOo----

A/N:

_eta: 2009, 23 August. Changed some dialogue and sentence structure. _

Slightly _belated_ Christmas present for my friend, MyBlueOblivion. You've been a big influence on me as an author. I owe you a lot my friend! Oblivion is also dedicated to you as well.

Preface will be explained way later on in the story. This story takes place still early on in the G1 universe, though there's several time hops.

Transformers and all related char(s) belong to Has/Tak and ass. co.

Except for Oblivion, Roulette, and the plot, are _mine_.

Names and/of characters are entirely coincidental.


	2. Chapter 1

_"Day was departing, and the darkening air called all earth's creatures to their evening quiet, while I alone was preparing as though for war." -_"The Inferno of Dante" by Robert & Pinsky

Ch 1

---

(Present)

The _Ark's_ crews were slowly turning in for the night hitting the recharge berths after a long days work. Some were reporting to their night stations for late night shifts to protect their comrades as they slept. Somewhere along midnight you'd find the Autobot second-in-command Prowl making his rounds around the _Ark's_ halls. No one knew exactly why he did it but no one also had never asked for some reason. Many of the Autobot crew though, didn't mind for they knew that they'd sleep in safety.

For the Datsun though, it was for peace of mind knowing that he was doing his own duty in taking steps for keeping his friends, _no_, his family safe. That's all he needed that would help him rest at night.

'_You have to get up now. Think of all the reasons you've fought so long _Matrix_ bearer.'_

'_Tha-that . . .voice . . .I . . .do I know y-you?'_

'_That answer will come on a later date. Listen you have a mission, only you can complete something _special_ and of utmost importance. You have to get up!'_

'_I-I can't . . .mooove . . .i-i-it hurts'_

If you'd walk outside and stand just under the _Arks _overhang which was the aft of the large ship and thrusters you'd notice the ground was still damp from the most recent rain. It was a nice night outside for once in several weeks it had rained earlier today giving the ground and its flora life some well needed relief. The makeshift road that led from the _Arks _exit you could see still fresh tire tracks leading out an in to the night. Small poodles of muddy water glistened in the moons light in the lines of tracks of all sizes some crossing over the others. Despite the slight chill that was already settling and coming under the night of the moon it hadn't rained for a while. The forecasters said that even with the brief shower it still wasn't enough; the crops weren't going to do well this year.

The thick fog that was visible from the light of the moon was eerie to the two mechs that was stationed at the _Ark's_ front doors watched as it rose off the ground from the afternoon heat of the sun. The gray white fog that swirled and drifted like some unseen animal or a wondering forgotten spirit sent chills down the two 'bot's structural column in their backs. Brawn and Cliffjumper shifted nervously on their feet anxious; exchanging weary glances, remember something they didn't want to. Brawn himself had fought it himself, _by_ himself; Cliffjumper had done something noble and put his very existence on the line for his friends.

At the time it just wasn't a time for selfishness.

'_I know it does, trust me, but you have the will, _use it!_ Will _yourself_ to get to your feet, I know you can. Your men are coming, if you don't get up now their effort will be in vain.'_

'_I—I . . .can—'_

'Don't_ you tell me that Prime! I know your better than this. Get up and face your fears, get up and face this nightmare. Don't give up . . . not now.' _

The med-bay was quiet; it always was around this time at night. Placing a data-pad down on a tray that he had set up beside him Ratchet sighed and looked back up over at his patient. On-lining his optics Optimus looked down at the floor that sat below his feet with little interest. With a quick flicker of his optics Optimus looked up at Ratchet as the medic as he finished with what he was doing but turned his gaze back down when Ratchet turned toward him.

"Your doing better." the medic stated flatly, his voice low "What's your opinion on that Optimus?"

That voice had been so firm, so familiar but as it ended it became almost . . . pleading. He knew that it wasn't his conscious talking to him, surely his own conscious didn't sound like a, barely out of his youngling years, mech. That voice . . .it had so much authority held in its rhythms, it was a voice of a respected leader, but no his own, it was just too young.

_Where _had he heard it before?!

The Autobot leader shrugged acknowledging the ivory medic "Better now if I could only get rid of this _war_ as easily." he muttered

Ratchet chuckled and placed a gentle hand on the Autobot leaders shoulder "Good luck on that."

Picking up the tray he'd been using Ratchet walked off to another section of the med-bay to put the tray and its components away. Optimus got to his feet and rotated his shoulders getting out the stiffness before turning to face the CMO who had his back turned toward him.

For a long moment as if not really sure of what he was going to say or not thinking at all because he already know how he wanted to ask his question Optimus Prime study watched as the medic went around with his business. He watched the back of that white dome with the dark gray crest adoring his helm with softly narrowed blue optics. "How are _you_ doing Ratchet?" he asked flatly almost coldly but Prime didn't think back over his words an how it sounded. He'd known that the ivory medic was just waiting for the question to pop out sooner or later.

As predicted Ratchet stopped in his sorting, red and white hands stopped mid air. Returning to his work he placed the scanner back into its cabinet closed it and locked the door with a finger key before turning back to his commander. Optimus looked into the medics blue . . . sad optics.

_Practically throwing her onto his recharge berth in his private chambers Ratchet leaned forward embracing her light blue lips with his. Planting wet passionate kisses on her lips . . .jaw . . .cheek . . .down her slender neck and further down as he followed her curve down to her waist with his hands. She didn't protest. They could feel the others systems over heating as they pressed themselves against the other in their lovemaking but it was more than that. _

_After all this time not long ago confessing their love for the other. For so long they'd denied it but now, now it was on a no holds. For the young femme CMO in training, Birdie this was rebellion, a risk to everything, their (her sisters) mission, the future but she loved this boxy white CMO. For said CMO, Ratchet, it was putting a tragic spark breaking past behind him . . .finally._

Averting his optics away from his leader Ratchet looked down at his red hands not even trying to hide that sad look on his face or the pain inside him. For the first time in so long Ratchet had something that was _his_ that he could love with truly all his spark but it was . . . _gone_. Birdie wasn't really gone; she'd promised she'd return in the near future to come back to him and him alone. It wasn't like they had spark-bonded or anything but it still hurt this old medics spark something fierce.

He looked up feeling a strong but gentle hand come down on his right shoulder. How could Optimus Prime be so quiet for being such a big mech he'd wondered that many times in the past. Those sea blue optics were glowing like they always did when the Autobot leader wanted to give comfort. Who would have thought it would be Ratchet?

"It will be alright Ratchet you'll see her again. If there's one thing I can tell truthfully about Birdie is that she keeps her promises with an iron grip."

His voice as easily predicted with strong felled with all that Autobot commander strength when others didn't feel all too strong. Despite that tired looked Optimus had in his optics they always remained encouraging, truthful.

He looked into those sea blue optics for a long moment before finally a faint smile crossed his light gray faceplate. Without fail Optimus Prime could always say something to make an old mech like Ratchet, yes, even Ratchet feel better somehow.

_Turning on his heel Ratchet turned to leave, to leave the young CMO in training behind. Why did he feel so guilty so . . .hurt? No it wasn't Birdies fault she had nothing to do with all this internal conflict inside of him. No it wasn't her . . . it was him. He denied to himself greatly that he loved her but if just felt so . . .wrong like he was betraying . . ._

"_Wait!" _

_Her small hand took his forearm in a firm grip stopping him. Optics shutting and turning back to face her. She was looking up at him with those light baby blue optics that just captivated him._

"_Please Ratchet . . ."_

_He loved her soft voice when she spook it was the most harmonic thing to him. Her polished slight silver faceplate was beautiful thing, it made him melt inwardly. When she laughed or even smiled it had the same effect. When she worked either helping saving a life or practicing it made him feel with pride. _

"_. . .tell me you can fell something . . .between us. I just want to know but if you don't" letting go of his arm "I'll understand." _

_Sighing heavily then swallowing something that had lodged itself in his throat "Birdie I . . .do love you but its . . .complicated." voice trailing_

_A faint smile rose on her blue lips "They say I have to be a patient listener to be your apprentice Ratchet. I'll listen, I'll wait until your ready." _

_Once again he found himself looking deep into her light blue optics, slowly his lips rose slightly into a faint smile as he back tracked an took a seat beside her once again. She could be so understanding sometimes but what she said was true she was a patient listener; she was his temporary protégé correct. _

"_Alright" he stated looking across the room that faint smile still on his face as his deep blue optics took a distant look conjuring up old memories._

"_It started a few orns before I was suppose to graduate from the medical academy at Iacon when I met her for the first time . . ."_

"Thank you Optimus." Glancing back at his counter for a moment before looking back up at him "Your right now that I think about it . . .she did."

He could tell, just by knowing Optimus for as long as he did, that a small smile was behind that mask. "Always did" letting his arm fall back to his side "I'm sure she'll work her hardest just to come back bragging on how she finally achieved CMO."

A small laugh was shared between the two. "Most likely" putting a hand on the back of Primes shoulder "Now enough with the sappiness your going to make me go soft." Stirring the red and blue mech toward the main med-bay doors. "Go get some _decent_ recharge tonight Prime. We don't want a half functioning leader walking around setting a bad example."

Now walking on his own Optimus chuckled lightly heading toward the main doors leaving Ratchet to his last minute straightening for tonight. But right before he was about to make his exit Ratchet called back after him trying to be serious but that half-cocked grin on his face gave him away.

"And don't make me make that an order Prime" he called pointing something that looked like a screwdriver after the leader

"Yes sir" he answered back with a good natured mock

---

There was no oddity that the _Ark _was so quiet at these late nights, no. The halls lights were either half dimmed or completely off making these long quiet halls almost eerie but at the moment Optimus Prime didn't seem to notice. Trailing him loyally was his shadow that was cast from sickening yellow overhead lights. During the day they looked like any overhead lights glowing white and when the _Ark _was alive during the day you couldn't hear them buzz annoyingly.

Optimus Prime didn't seem to notice that either. He was staring straight ahead or more or less toward the floor in front of him and his basic blue boots walking in front of him. If it was possible to think without thinking at all Optimus Prime might have been doing it.

His processor was miles away his sea blue optics showed how distant he was now. Suddenly he let out an odd sound from his vocal processor that sounded like a . . .whimper. Bringing a blue hand up he placed it over his face, optics shut off.

They had stopped these flashes of being back in what the sisters had called a nightmare turned reality or something of the sort. Flashes of all the things he fought, within himself. Giving his head a shake he continued on to his quarters to get some rest, maybe that was all it was. Like Ratchet had said he hadn't been recharging well many of them hadn't since it all. Crossroads said that he himself had been the first to be determined infected with the Nightmare virus, the first to _submit _to its will.

The great Autobot leader so easily brought to his knees by his own fears, terrors, and wrongs, just everything. When his men had risked their lives to subject themselves willingly to the Nightmare, Jazz going back a second time, to rescue _him_. That voice that had talked to him in that dark abyss with the cold floor to get him to stand up, he did. Only to fall off the side of that skyscraper Optimus Prime doubled tacked back at his men, they'd risked their lives for him. He had no doubt that they would have done it even if in the real world or he'd do the same to them but for some reason he went back over all of them again.

Arriving back at his quarters he punched in the access code to unlock his quarters and entered only to lock it behind him. With a heavy sigh that odd feeling leaving his processor he fixed him a glass of mid-grade, quickly finished it headed to his private quarters a few feet away and through another door for some neglected recharge not bothering to dim on the lights.

Taking a seat on the edge of his recharge berth Optimus leaned forward, elbows on his knees face hidden his hands. His hunched over position said nothing but that he looked defeated, that's how he felt. What really had disturbed Prime to this very moment is his thoughts then. The silent chilling whisper into his audios, and that he was listening an even considering what the cold voice was saying. That he was weak, worthless, he didn't deserve what he had in his life. Then like a click of camera lens that cold voice started taunting him about his past, his thoughts when he had woken up here on Earth and remembered his love.

_Elita_.

She was gone.

Heaving out a deep sigh Optimus leaned back not caring that his faceplate was stained with dried tears. Turing his servos in his neck slightly he looked across his room to the corner. Seating there leaning against the wall barrel pointing down was his cannon. It alone had some how made a legend on its own. It was truly a magnificent piece of craftmechship; for the power it possessed. Snapping off his optics and giving his head a hard shake Prime leaned down on his recharge berth, back toward the cannon before slowly drifting off into a restless slumber.

The whole time the Autobot leaders action didn't go unnoticed by one late niter. Leaning back in his chair arms crossed lightly over his abdomen Teletran narrowed his optics as he watched the obviously distressed leader walk into his quarters out of the Inca gold Chrysler's viewing range. Of course 'Tran could activate the few cameras in Prime's quarters but that was against his personal rules he rarely accessed the office ones. He knew for a fact that the Autobot leader had little time for privacy and even less of it but the cameras were installed for both security and protection over his leader. And it wasn't just for the Decepticons alone.

It went against Teletran's personal un-written rules to invade one's privacy unless other given a reason to.

'Tran knew Optimus Primes history but that was confidential information reserved for the privileged few, he just so happened to be one of them.

---

A/N:

Little note, a lot (I guess alot) of this story mentions what's called the Nightmare virus (which is from my own imagination) and how it effected the Transformers I do have it planned in another story I'll be uploading in hopefully the near future the other three femmes' (sisters) also. So don't think there completely random. I hope this chapter fits ratings but I don't think its to much ya know.

This story is kindly dedicated my friend MyBlueOblivion! This ones for you!

Transformers and all related char(s) belong to Has/Tak

Except for the 'sisters', which include Birdie. Teletran's persona is mine, and the plot, are mine

Names and characters are entirely coincidental


	3. Chapter 2

_"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do."_ -Edward Everett Hale

Ch 2

000

'_Listen you have a mission, only you can complete something special and of utmost importance.'_

Systems hissing violently from trying to cool down his body Optimus Prime shot up on his recharge berth his body wrapped in a thin layer of coolant. Why was he reacting this way, they weren't even nightmares yet he still felt the terror when he was in recharge mode? His spark was racing in its chamber from the unwanted excitement and it was almost painful.

Leaning forward Prime put his elbows in his knees and placed his face in his shaky blue hands. This was ridiculous! When was the last time he had gotten a dissent nights rest? That Primus forsaken voice _refused_ to leave his processor and it always said the same things! Its presence wasn't the only thing that bothered the Prime; it was the familiarity of it. It was almost eerie, it reminded him of a ghost or spirit whispering in his audios from behind. He'd heard it somewhere before but the name, the face, it stayed out side his grasp like the humans saying _'an itch you can't reach'_.

Ever since the Nightmare virus had been eradicated from the _Ark _and its crew Prime hadn't had a decent recharge, many of them still didn't even the ones who'd been spared. It had been weeks, a _month_ since then, since the living Nightmare had been destroyed.

The sisters had said that even after the Nightmare virus had been ejected from the body the Nightmare would never effect you again since it considered you _worthy_. But-that little three-letter word that made a world of difference, the effects from his toxins would never really leave you. They'd been painfully right.

Jazz, Ratchet, Sideswipe, Windcharger, Brawn, Trailbreaker, Gears, and Mirage, even the Dinobot's Grimlock, and Snarl were infected by the virus. With himself included nearly half the _Ark _had fallen victim and that didn't included how many of the Decepticons had been infected that would probably remain unknown.

He'd already tried to fall into recharge several times this night but had always ended up in a similar state he was in now: just as exhausted as he had been before. Running his hands down his face Prime got up not even making a action to dim the lights on. The lights would probably hurt his optics relays anyway.

Unlocking the door to his private quarters and walking into his office, Prime took a seat behind his desk and turned on his computer. Letting it boot up Prime sighed heavily letting his self be defeated knowing he wasn't going to get any recharge tonight. Elbows on his desk and once again face in hands Optimus Prime let his processor drift back to the voice that had no face and a name that escaped him.

Letting his arms fall to the desk he stared out into open space not really focusing on anything. '_Only you can complete something special and of utmost importance.' _What had that young male voice meant by that? It made no since he didn't even relate to trying to get the Prime out of the nightmare he was in, to _will_ himself to get up and fight. Why couldn't he get it out of his CPU?!

But most importantly what did it mean that's what he wanted to know?

Attention momentarily on the bright glowing blue screen to his right Prime just stared at it for a long moment for the first time nothing occupying his mind. Glazed light blue optics from the lack of recharge flickered once then twice before the Autobot leader got up from behind his desk. Going over to one of the many selves he started pulling off old document containers that hadn't been used in a while as if by random and placing them in the crock of his arm before continuing his search for more.

His movements seemed odd not portraying how sleep deprived the Autobot leader really was. They seemed stiff but at the same time fluent and to the point. Optimus Prime seemed to find what he was looking for without even searching for it was more odd that many of the records seemed to have not been moved from their resting place for years.

Office only half lit not really with the need of light anyway a small light on the resident CMO's desk light up the room brightly enough to let Wheeljack fiddle intently with something in his lap.

Ratchet sat behind his desk in his chair, inventory he needed to get the work on feeling out yesterday sitting on his desktop lonely. He had his right elbow on his desk and its red hand holding his head up as he watched the inventor toy with . . .whatever he was preoccupying his attention.

The buzzer to the main do that also lead to the med-bay went off. Wheeljack's 'fins' flickered sighing Ratchet ignored him and pressed a button on his desk to unlock the door. The single door slide open letting in a tall figure draped in darkness except for a slight hint of bronze almost. A pair of orange yellow optics glowed through as they turned to Wheeljack who was still fiddling with the device in his lap as if not noticing there was a guest present.

"Hey 'Tran" greeted Wheeljack not looking up from his work

"You wished to speak with me Teletran?" asked Ratchet watching the inventor lift his legs up in his chair and cross them

Nodding his head Teletran walk forward toward the CMO's desk "Hey 'Jack" facing Ratchet "and yes I did Ratch'"

Attention completely on the hacker Ratchet leaned back and narrowed his light blue optics waiting for the tall _Ark _gold mech to take a seat in one of his office chairs. The CMO took notice that once again Teletran didn't have his secondary chest armor attached letting his foremost armor underneath leaving it exposed. It never had really bothered Ratchet it didn't many mechs but that was from knowing the gold hacker for so long. Many of the 'bots would had just met the hacker way back when on Cybertron before the _Project Ark _had thought it was rather odd if not inappropriate.

Ratchet had just told them to quit bitching and deal with it; it was just the Temporal way. That and Teletran did care what they thought anyway if they had something to say about it they could come and say it to his face.

Ratchet grinned inwardly remember when one of the Autobot's had actually dared to say it directly to the hackers face. Needless to say Ratchet had a visitor to his clinic and a trip down to the brig to repair Teletran's hand. Things had gotten out of hand there needless to say.

"What about?" Ratchet asked

Looking down at his lap as if pondering on which words to say or where to start "Optimus." Was the single word "I don't think he's doing as good as you think he is."

That was Teletran, straight to the point 'never betting around the bush' as the saying went. Ratchet could hear it in the hackers tone how low it was and serious. The clicking and the sound of metal pieces sliding that had been Wheeljack toying with the little device stopped promptly.

"What you mean by that?" Ratchet asked while still suspected what Teletran was implying

Teletran was by nature a thinker his processor never stopped running processing everything that ran through it. The CMO could prove that fact. One incident back on Cybertron had left the hacker in a dangerous situation and in his med-bay but not serious enough were the hackers processor would shut down to conserve energy to the rest of his body. Ratchet was rather surprised to find that even in stasis his processor spun.

So Teletran always thought before he spook, well most of the time anyway, but even when you think he doesn't he does but really doesn't care for or about the pros and con's.

Reaching around to his hip Teletran de-subspace a small black object that looked like a little black cube. Standing up Teletran walked over and around Ratchet's desk pulling a small cord out of a small compartment from arm he plugged it into the little black cube and then the other end in the side of Ratchet's terminal.

"I recorded this last night just after he left your medical bay" voice just above a whisper optics narrowing to slits

Wheeljack deposited the device he'd been working on in his chair and jogged around to the other side of the desk to the medics left and watched as a recording started to play. The image on the screen showed their leader walking down the hall that lead to his quarters his movements slow. Nothing really looked odd about what was playing, it was completely normal but the recording wasn't done yet.

After a few moments of watching the recording stopped, Teletran unplugged the black cube device and put away the cord. Wheeljack leaned back and stared with a critical optic at Ratchet's screen even though the recording had long since stopped. The ivory medic had leaned back in his chair, arms crossed tightly over his broad chest shadow on his face.

He didn't like what he had seen.

Teletran leaned back shutting off his optics in deep contemplation. Bring his gold and red hand up he rubbed the back of his neck gently and sighed. "You know as well as I that I don't get into other 'bots business, it goes against my personal morals, but when I come to the others _health_ I will step in." looking down at the medic who was looking up at him with those serious light blue optics under his chevron.

Nodding his head in understanding Ratchet turned his head back around and placed his chin on his collar. Slight movement to his left didn't distract him as he watched Wheeljack head back to his seat to most likely fiddle with the little device of his. If he knew Wheeljack as good as he thought he did toying away at some random device was a good method that seemed to work while the engineer need to think.

"Its alright Teletran I understand" leaning forward "I'm glad you did show me this. He's showing signs of depression and or PTSD1. . .far worse than we are, considering. But I can't make a clear diagnostic without a complete consult."

Meeting the hackers orange yellow optics Ratchet looked into them as he looked back. There was always something strange about the hacker before him optics. When you looked in his optics they just seemed to stare back almost as if they were looking into your very spark finding all your past misdeeds or what you were really thinking. They were unnerving at times. Ratchet knew it was just the way Teletran was and if he was doing that well he'd probably never know the truth.

Right now though they had a look Ratchet wasn't familiar with, he just couldn't pin point what it was.

"Teletran you know I wouldn't ask this of you, your personal moral and all, but I need you to keep a _close_ optic on him."

Nodding his head in understanding "I will. I wanted to run this by you just to make sure."

"Good I'm pleased you did."

The room feel silent, well minus Wheeljack's tinkering, which had finally gathered Teletran's attention now that his conversation with the medic was over. Making a face the hackers narrowed his optics and tried to figure out where he had seen that little device before. It was familiar but he didn't quit remember it being that big it was probably a human invention that the inventor had re-sized for his needs or. . .entertainment.

Leaning down Teletran whispered in Ratchets audio _"What is he doing?"_

Shrugging "Don't know he's been at it for an hour and half now?"

"Its called Rubik's Revenge2, and I _can_ hear you two ya know!" The two grinned and realized what the multi colored cube was now.

000

_PTSD: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder_

_Rubik's Revenge: 4×4×4, Invented by Péter Sebestény (source wikipedia)_

A/N:

Okay I said I'd would get this chapter up sooner unfortentally my computer decided to go on the fritz big time and I've just recently gotten it back. Apologies for the wait. Well I hope you enjoyed it please leave me a review, which would be most appreaciated.

This story is dedicated to MyBlueOblivion for everything; you've been a big influence on me as an author. I owe you a lot my friend!

Transformers and all related char(s) belong to Has/Tak

Except for Teletran's persona, and the plot, are mine

Names and characters are entirely coincidental


	4. Chapter 3

_"True strength lies in submission which permits one to dedicate his life, through devotion, to something beyond himself."_ -Henry Miller

Ch 3

000

To everyone the _Ark_ crew it felt like what had transpired only a few weeks ago would never really go away, it would always be in the back of their skulls and helms scratching, waiting to come up again for air. That life in the _Ark_ just was so different not as lively as it once was, for the first time you couldn't help but look at things like you once did. The little things you had never really thought about because it was always there on command or upon request was now bigger than life and demanded respect.

It was all like that oasis you had a one in a billion chances to find. You had to savor it until its last drop.

For the lucky, if that's what you would want to call it, few who hadn't suffered at the grasp of the nightmare, the moods from their friends effected them as well. The sense of helplessness was strong for them all. The three femme 'bot's who had been there, the only ones who really appeared to know what they were doing in the situation, up against had gotten up and left.

The road to complete physical recovery had been achieved but the road to mental recovery was along winding road with no end in sight for them. Every day it was closer despite the fog that was in front of them.

"Hey Jazz!"

The sound of Rachel's call instantly caught the attention of the Porsche who was entering the _Ark's _lounge. Raising an optics ridge at what he saw. Jazz walked over to the couchfacing the back of the room where the red twin was laid sprawled out on his, his chin on the couch's arm rest a satisfied look on his face. Jazz couldn't help but to grin at the smug grin on Sideswipe's faceplate.

Rachel was seating on the twins back with a polish buffer in her hands messaging Sideswipes back in vertical motions.

"I can get use to this" he slurred

Jazz walked over and leaned forward crossing his arms on the back rest looking down at the young women who was smiling like always. Thinking back the special ops officer would never had thought that Rachel and the twins would have made it as friends from their first greeting. Now though the young women and the two twins were practically inseparable. If you didn't use both of them in one sentence then the sentence was incomplete, leave it at that.

When Sideswipe had feel pray to the Nightmare virus the three fragile but strong friendship had been challenged in his infancy but the virus wasn't all toward the worse, it had actually made their bond stronger in the end. Sideswipe had said if it wasn't for his brother and Rachel he might have been a victim of the Nightmare.

Of which the gold twin, without fail, wasn't to for from his other half. Seating on the couch to the right one leg propped on the other knee data-pad in hand. That's a twin for you, were there was one the other was close behind.

"Enjoying yourself 'Sides?" asked Jazz humor in his voice

"You have no idea" he answered his voice still slurred from the messaging

Rachel leaned back bringing the buffer with her and made a face similar to triumphant "Enjoy it while it lasts, I don't do this very often 'Sides." The red twin just murmured something incoherent

Giving a chuckle Jazz shook his head and walked over to the energon dispenser. Returning with the mug in hand the saboteur took a seat beside the gold twin who didn't seem to realize he had taken a seat beside him.

"How it goin' Sunny?"

The gold warrior didn't even look up when his name was stated just kept his undivided attention on the data pad in front of him giving Jazz a soft grunt from the back of his vocalizer. The two sat in the relative silence Jazz watching Rachel message Sideswipe back with the buffer. The two were exchanging quiet conversation that the neither of the two could make out and didn't feel to intrude.

When it came to the Lamborghini twins they were just as much the same as they were different but you could only tell if you know them for a long time. When it came to maturity level Sunstreaker could be pointed out as the more mature one. It was only half true though. The gold twin could still feel his brothers emotional, mental pain was in, he'd felt it when we was seating beside his brother in the med-bay. Being a twin had both its pros and con's and since the nightmare almost took his brother Sunstreaker had grown just a little since.

Flickering his optics Sunstreaker looked over at Jazz who was taking a sip of his energon.

_"How are you doing Jazz?"_ keeping his voice just below a whisper

Hands on his thighs the small he stared within the depth of his energon mug and how it glowed. Sunstreaker watched Jazz's glassy visor darken momentarily before it went back to being its normal bright crystal glass texture.

"I'm good" he grinned

Sunstreaker couldn't be fooled that easily. That was one thing the twins weren't known for their brilliance leaving the more brainy things for the ones who know how but even the gold twin could tell when someone was lying especially when it was evident upon his or her face. Dark blue optics narrowing Sunstreaker stared into Jazz's glassy visor in that I-know-your-lying-so-don't-frag-with-me kinda look. Grin gone Jazz let it fall knowing that he wasn't fooling the gold Lambo.

Turning away from that gaze he was being given Jazz once again had that un-Jazz like expression on his face. It just wasn't right when the always cheery Porsche didn't have a smile on his face.

"I've been bett'a. How 'bout you?"

For a long time Jazz thought he wouldn't receive an answer, in truth he really didn't suspect one to begin with. So he was surprised when he did get one from the gold warrior

"Same. I'm . . . worried about my brother" lifting his head to look over at his twin

Smiling faintly "He's ya bro. He'll be fine" Jazz reassured with a faint smile

Nodding in either acknowledgement or agreement he nor Jazz knew sure which. Looking down to face the data-pad lying on his thighs Sunstreaker led his facial features go neutral as he listened to really nothing just letting his processor go blank, his face portraying nothing.

How many times had he watched over his brother in the med-bay after a near death experience? How many times had Sideswipe watched over him? All those times were different from the first time during and because of the war that he'd nearly lost his brother. Since then everything else was just a scrap on the knee, so to speak. Why was Sideswipe being infected with the Nightmare virus _not_ like on of those other occasions?

It wasn't a secret that the twins were known for their haphazard in battle always going head long into battle and getting their selves slagged up. They'd always walked back out of the med-bay either caring the other or caring each other at the same time. But for some reason it _really_ disturbed Sunstreaker about this occasion and there weren't many things that could crack the foundation that proud warrior stood on.

Sometime had past and the room feel into silence only the quiet almost inaudible chatter from Sideswipe, Rachel, and the buzzing of the buffer was the only sound. Jazz was quietly nursing the same mug as he looked inside of it he realized it was almost empty by now. He was drawn out of his musing from the sound of the lounge door opening. Walking in was Rachel's sister Blair a thoughtful look on her face as if she was trying to remember something that she had forgotten.

"Hey ya Blair!" he greeted

The sound of her sisters name being called drew Rachel away from the buffer and Sideswipe for a moment. Head popping up Rachel looked over her shoulder and gave a quick smile before turning back to her work.

"Oh hey Jazz, Sunstreaker, Rach--Rachel what _are_ you doing?"

A big grin crossed her face as she looked over toward Sideswipe you turned his head to look at her with a smirk "Messaging 'Sides back" mater a factly

Shaking her head Blair went back to the gold Lamborghini twin and the Porsche "Hey have either of you seen Optimus around. Me and him were suppose to go for a ride, to get out of the _Ark_ for a while?" she asked

Exchanging glances with Sunstreaker Jazz replied first "I saw him early this morning heading down to the storage rooms. He didn't tell me why but he was." shrugging

Jazz and Sunstreaker watched as several different emotions crossed Blair's face in a short period of time. Without much warning Blair turned on her heel sharply and ran out of the lounge. "I have to go find Teletran, I'll see you guys later!" she called over her shoulder with a wave to them.

000

His processor was miles away but at the same time nowhere. There was this odd feeling within him that he couldn't recall what you would call it. It was bothering him to the point were he just wanted to break down, which sounded like a good idea. There was something else there, present around him like a body behind him that kept whispering to walking forward through these woods. Every time that kept coming back to mind he kept thinking back to that voice he had heard, that voice that wouldn't leave him alone. The face he couldn't remember and it disturbed him greatly.

During the times when he really wasn't thinking of anything was the times he was beginning to like more. At the same time he didn't like it and really wanted to think, _do something_. He had two internal conflicts fighting of which he wanted more. The thoughts just kept bringing him back to that Nightmare, that voice, what he almost left behind. Then when he didn't have anything to think about he felt empty, alone, in a large cold room with solid walls with nothing inside, just him.

It was a double sided sword. It offered peace of mind but loneliness.

Right now though he was in that state where it almost felt like something else was controlling him guiding his decisions the movements of his hands. He was seated back in his chair a few feet away from his desk large glowing blue screen positioned in front of him with all sorts of schematics. On two small table like trays beside him data-pads and records sat some on-line some not each holding something different but could all be connected in a diagram. Seating on top of his desk which was empty of its regular items now sat pieces of random metal slaps that seemed to make something but nothing at the same time.

A quiet buzz snapped Optimus Prime out of his thoughts his light blue optics seeming to change suddenly if somehow. Placing the laser pen he had been holding down on the table tray to his right he pressed a few buttons saving his work for future use and let them slide and fold back up into the ceiling. He ignored the data-pads strewn out around him.

Unlocking the door from his desk he watched as the door slide open only to raise an optic ridge at the sight he saw before him now. Stepping in was Teletran with Blair standing at his feet a look between, furious, concerned, and relieved.

Running her hand through her hair quickly Blair walked with haste into Prime's office trying to look irate but she thought she was failing measurably at it. Then she noticed that Prime was about to speak, _oh no you wont_. She brook him off . . .

"Where've you been?!" she bellowed

Jumping slightly Teletran made a face before inclining his head slightly "I'll be going" an he left letting the door slide shut behind him

Blair ignored the hacker, light brown eyes focused on the Autobot leaders dole aqua blue optics.

"I don't know what your talking about Blair. I've been right here--" he tried, defending him self

"Bull!" she grunted "I came by here earlier and you weren't here!" finally Blair felt the back of her eyes start to sting and she couldn't help it while she was trying to go off on Optimus. He'd pissed her off but truthfully he'd more scared her than anything. Since everything going AWOL, Blair had tried her best to keep her poseur about everything to stay strong. But here lately it just seemed to be getting harder and harder to stay strong.

She quickly whipped the back of her hand that was covered by her sleeve before looking back at Optimus Prime "Don't do that!" she snapped not wanting to say want she really meant to

Sighing Optimus Prime got up from behind his desk walking around it to come to a stop in front of Blair and gently he brought his blue hand around to rap around her small organic frame. He hated himself now for upsetting her, his dearest friend he'd acquired while here on Earth. She was a kind-hearted person while still being firm when need be, in his mind she didn't deserve this.

"I'm sorry Blair, I didn't mean to upset you. My processor his been . . ._distant_ lately." a pause "I'm sorry please accept by deepest apologies." ever so gently he brought his hand around and using his center finger whipped a tear away following her light brown eyes as they looked up at his

For the first time in what felt like forever Optimus Prime felt his processor become focused away from that voice with no face, the nightmares, just . . .everything. And found he welcomed this, was it, a distraction. He hadn't lied when he had said he been distracted but didn't realize now that he'd actually _realized_ it. Mentally shaking his head he went back to the present dilemma he had drugged himself in, and Blair.

Shaking her head and raising her hand up to wrap around Prime's digit "No I'm the one that should be saying sorry I shouldn't have gone off on you like that. You a commander after all" she chuckled half heartily "I've just been worried about you lately that's all, we all have." looking back up at him "You've been acting . . .different lately."

Sighing Optimus Prime let his optics dim by them selves. Why after all this time was he admitting to himself, realizing, that he had been acting _different, distracted? _It was becoming to scare him almost. No!_ 'Now isn't to become wrapped up in your own self pity. Blair his your main concern right now!' _Prime held back growling at him self

"I know. Like I said I've been distracted with other . . ._things_."

Standing up he brought his hand up to rub the back on his neck maybe in some attempt to help clear his processor. It wasn't helping. Turing back to Blair he noticed she was staring at something just behind him. Glancing over his shoulder he grimaced seeing the state his office was in. _'If Prowl came in, Primus help me.' _When had he let his office become this revolteing, he couldn't recall? Not only that why was he now just noticing this?!

"What _have_ you been doing" asked Blair walking over to Primes desk and looking down at a data-pad on the floor. _'How had that gotten there and when?' _"This place looks worse than Rachel's den back home." leaning and turning the data-pad on and looking it over

_'Oh slag'_

Blair had stopped and even from his height standing over her he could tell from her posture that she knew what was on that data-pad. Prime hoped it wasn't some of his more resent _work. _Leaning back on the ends of her shoes Blair turned half way light brown eyes staring up at him curious. Prime tensed trying not to show it. Why was he so concerned about her finding out about this suddenly? Now that he realized it he really didn't want anyone to find out . . .not yet. No! Blair was his closes and dearest friend, some one he could trust anything to, even his life. She'd had his life once anyway another time wouldn't be wrong. He'd told her things openily he'd never told anyone else, not even would have thinked about tell. And vice versa.

She had a right to know above anyone else in this time and place.

"These are schematics to make. . ." putting her hand to her mouth biting down on nail as she looked down at the data-pad "protoform was it?"

This time he couldn't hold back a sigh letting the tension disipate from his frame. He'd been found out anyway. Taking a step forward Prime picked up the data-pad and just before Blair started to stand he slid his hand under her, gave her a slight nudge, and let her fall back onto the palm of his hand not hurting her of course. He'd done it once or twice before by now she didn't let a noise or gesture in protest.

"I guess I couldn't hide this forever." He muttered more to himself that her

Light brown eyes looked up to meet aqua ones "This has been your 'distraction'?" Prime nodded

"Above anyone now you have a right to know, so I'm going to tell you . . .from the start Blair."

Blair narrowed her brow under her dark brown hair suddenly becoming serious as her guardian sat her down on top of his cluttered desk. And when I say cluttered I mean cluttered. Data and digi-pads were ever were along with glass slates, record docments just to name a few. Along with small scale models of what she thought she knew but wasn't sure. The rooms light dimed and Blair looked up to watch as large screens came down that remined of of the things you'd see in a submaine of the sort.

_'A body?' _

Optimus turned his attention back to Blairs who fully had his with that look of confusion on it. "I know I can trust you not to tell a soul about this Blair, right?"

Nodding in reply her face serious "Of course"

Nodding more to himself than to her Prime sat back in his office chair optics darker then normal he picked up a digi-pad that had been laying to his right not really having to find it, which Blair noticed and thought it strange. Mindful of his charge he sat it down in front of her, activated.

A short time passed as he sat back still completely awar of his surroundings but optics off resting. The room was quiet but neather seemed to notice Optimus was wrapped up with something he was thinking and Blair was reading what was on the data-pad. Finally a quiet sigh brought Prime's attention back to Blair, optics online.

Leaning back she sat down on her butt running a hand through her hair absently mindily.

"What is this called?"

Prime paused as if hesitating to reply but he gave her one,The _Artifcer Project_.

000

A/N:

It made me so mad where are all my page breakers, you know the little lines I use to space out scenes. There not there and all of my stories are like that! I've checked! Now they're all one big mess and that totally messes me up b/c I'm a perfectionist! (fumes) anyway yeah got that out of my systems.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, _please_ leave me some reviews it would be most welcome!

This story is detected to MyBlueOblivion, thanks my friend!

Transformers and all related char(s) belong to Has/Tak

Except for Blair and Rachel Livington, Teletran's personas, and the plot, are mine

Names and characters are entirely coincidental


	5. Chapter 4

"_The more we learn, the more we discover how much we don't know." –Yoda_

Ch 4

000

Swaying on her heels from where she was knelled her arms wrapped around her legs her body illuminated blue by the data-pad in front of her. Blair leaned forward and pressed the scroll button, she watched the white letters move upward and before releasing the button and reading the last bit of the data-pad. Seating not to far by his charge was Optimus Prime continuing his work on . . .well Blair really wasn't sure what he was doing she'd ask later.

"You'll need Wheeljacks help on this you know."

Prime momentarly stopped in work but didn't make a move to turn toward her. Sighing quietly Optimus Prime leaned back slightly lowering his arm from the massive glass screen. For some reason he didn't like the idea, not one bit but he wasn't going to be able to do this on his own. That he knew. He turned to meet Blair's light brown eyes that looked up at him through strands of dark brown hair that had fallen over her eyes. He wanted to move forward and brush the hair aside so he could see her eyes but made no action to go foward with his thoughts.

Turning back to his work, for the first time really double taked and realized that what truly lay before him. Shouldn't know how to do all this. He knew a few basics of making things but making a protoform was beyond his ability. How had he done it? When did it suddenly dawn on him that he shouldn't be able to do this.Bowing his head he let air pass through his vents giving himself a moment to calm himself and clear his proccessor before flickering his optics back on.

"I know but being turthful I don't feel comfortable with it."

Standing up after shutting the data-pad down Blair stretched her arms over her head, her body didn't like knelling like that. It made the joints in her feet hurt.

"After reading all this and after what all you told me, I understand this is . . ._sensitive_ but your going to have to."

She reaceaved no reply for a long while after that. Quietly the commander took a seat back in his chair that still sat behind him and laced his fingers over his abdomen where his grill was. Blair watched him lean his head back in thought she'd realized over the time that she'd know him that was a common habit an sign that he was thinking deeply about something. Blue optics staring up at the ceiling Blair couldn't even begin to wonder what was running through his processor.

Slipping her hands into the pockets of her jeans Blair stared up at him and sensing a pair of eyes on him Prime let his head fall to let his optics meet hers. Something had poped into her mind. He could tell it by the way she looked at him with that almost blank stare.

"What is it Blair?" he asked slightly concerned with the expression that was on her face

She stayed silent for a few moments looking down at the desk top she was standing on. "How are you going to do this excatlly? Don't you need a spark first?"

Letting a faint smile cross his face under his mask "One step at a time Blair. One step at a time." Was his reply

000

How many times had he read this in the last Earth hour? Eh, he wasn't keeping count but right now his processor was so wrapped up in what laid before him he couldn't do anything else but give the little data-pad his full and undivided attention. Ratchet completely understood everything that was written down on the blue-ish tented glass but at the same time he understood nothing on it. What had been the force behind the files on this innocent little data-pad? Ratchet would ask but knew it was most likely he wouldn't get a complete answer.

How could _he _even think he would be possible to give life on this planet far away from Cybertron an even farther from the ancient computer . . .Vector Sigma? The only femme's present here beside the natives weren't planning on baring a spark anytime soon. Not mentioning the femme's older sibling wouldn't permit it quit yet. So far as Ratchet new _he _had no infatuation with any of the _Ark's _crew and Ratchet new almost as much stuff as _he_ new himself. Probably even more being the Chief Medical Officer of the _Ark_. Well besides one but she was very unlikely let alone the same species as himself.

They had no spar sparks lying around, if anyone would know Ratchet would know. Then it hit him like a smack to the head. Sighing deeply Ratchet leaned forward putting his elbows on the top of his desk and buried his faceplate in his hands. The _Matrix_. Sly mech, which was what he, was, yes. Something scrapped against his index finger and Ratchet looked up. Slowly he brought his hands up to the front of his helm and took hold of the silver crest on his forehead. With precise movements and a click it detached from his white domed helm and was lying in his red hands like any other plate of metal.

_'That's all you are, aren't you.'_ he thought turning the little piece of metal over in his hands feeling it smooth surface.

Bring his red hand back up Ratchet traced an engraving in his forehead were his crest once was. Like an outstretched diamond with a cut down the center of it stopping at the 'diamonds' center. He couldn't remember when he had received the mark all Ratchet could remember was seeing an outline of a massive mech with glowing electric blue optics. Like none he'd ever seen before. He'd been a sparkling at the time and . . . different. He'd been told it was the mark of one of the original 13 but he didn't believe it because he was old but not that old. Which 13, he never got an answer. There was no files that he was allowed to read about them.

Clicking the crest back on to his forehead Ratchet activated a private channel to Optimus Prime to send him down to his office.

000

Aqua colored optics met dark blue ones both hold no emotion even though the mech on the other side of the CMO's desk looked tired. They'd been that for a long time since the whole Nightmare virus thing. It had drained them all Prime more the others almost. He him self still felt the lasting effects of the invisible monster that had infected him as well. Seating on Optimus Primes right thigh, hands on either side of her an odd shaped cap upon her head was Blair.

Sighing Ratchet picked up the data-pad and leaned forward handing it back to his commander who accepted it without word while making sure Blair didn't fall.

"You're asking a lot of me Prime." Ratchet stated quietly leaning back in his chair

The Autobot commander was calmer than he had been in a while, Ratchet could see it in his aqua colored optics, the way he held himself. "I wouldn't ask this of you if I knew you couldn't proceed with it Ratchet."

"This has never been done before; I have nothing to go by, nothing. It's like going back to my apprentice years Optimus Prime."

Prime said nothing, he had nothing to say nor did Blair who looked up at her guardian. Raising his head back up from looking down at his charge Prime spook quietly the slightest edge of fatigue present in his voice. "All you have to do is make sure I don't kill myself doing this Ratchet, I'll do the rest."

Sighing deeply trying as if to get some tension and stress out of his systems Ratchet leaned over propping his elbow joint on his officer chair arm, and using his head up with a red fist. Flickering his optics off Ratchet replied, "That's a huge enough burden itself. Do you really think I'd like to live with being the cause of the death the greatest Prime Cybertron has ever had?" flickering on his optics "Of a dearest friend."

Sliding her legs under herself Blair leaned back and up and grabbed hold on one of Primes thick blue fingers, looking down Optimus Prime moved it while at the same time letting her lead his hand. Realizing what she wanted he cupped his hand around her small soft frame an put his thumb on her left shoulder. Even though he couldn't feel the grip she had on his thumb and pointer finger he knew she did have a firm grip on it.

"I'm not great Ratchet, I never claim to be. Do you think a tree can grown and bloom without the aid of rain and the sun?"

Ratchet grunted leaning back; hands crossed lightly over his abdomen "You and your idioms" faint smile crossing his faceplate

"Please Ratchet. I have to do this but I need your help."

He stared deeply into those aqua-colored optics seeing the emotion inside of them but got no further than the blue glass that protected optical sensors lying behind them. Prime was serious; he really wanted to go through with this. But the pleading look in them made the old medics spark cringe inwardly ever so slightly. It had been a long ol time since he'd seen that emotion within the mighty Autobot leader's optics.

The first time he had seen it was not to long after this still young mech was nearly assigned as the Prime only though in his med-bay back on Cybertron. Ratchet hated it for the young mech suddenly had the fate of their world dropped on him, and not softly either. But he encouraged the young mech to go with it and look at were that young mech was now.

He was a mech that could truly be called greatest Autobot commander without being vain about it.

Leaning toward his desk again "The _Artificer Project _huh?"

000

A/N:

My deepest apologies for taking so long to update. Something screwed up my computer _just_ after I had gotten it _fixed_. We think a storm that came did it. I hate nature sometimes. Anyway I hope your liked this chapter it will start get better soon, I hope anyway.

Thanks for reading and please leave a review, wouldn't mind that too much, yes?

Transformers and all related char(s) belong to Has/Tak and co.

Except Blair Livington, and the plot which is mine

Names and characters are entirely coincidental


	6. Chapter 5

_"Freedom, newly gained, can be over whelming." –Madam Medusa "Voyage of the Unicorn"_

Ch 5

000

Some Autobot's had an un_breakable_ habit of working late well into the night hours after everyone else had long since retired to their berths for a nights rest. One 'bot inparticlure was known for it and for falling sleep with his head on his work station. That was Wheeljack for you. But right now the inventor was wide awake arms crossed lightly over his abdomen light thoughtful blue optics staring up at the ceiling. You could only begin to wondering what was running through his processor. There was no telling really.

The inventors workshop you'd consider a mess everything to little devices that were made for the heck of it to weapons of war. Or helping with the Autobot cause that which, was basically the same the same thing, depending on how you looked at it. Different eyes -or optics- saw different things I'm sure you know.

In reality though the engineers work space -being cluttered- was rather organized to him anyway. Ask him to find something, he'd go straight to it and pluck it out from under a couple of layers of other projects finished or not. Or like he had done once with a data-pad, plucked the exsact middle one from a tower of other data-pads without toppling the tower.

Prowl's processor momentarly stalled at that.

Semi cool air blew through his vents as Wheeljack sighed lower his head so his chin rested on the area were his collar would have sat if he was human. Light blue optics gazing at something in front of him but not really focusing on anything Wheeljack sat there leave the small device he'd been working on unattended. Which it had been for the last fifthteen minutes, Earth time standards.

If he was right the sun should have just started to rise outside ushering in a new day that had long since started.

Shutting off his optics Wheeljack tried to picture what the landscape looked like outside at this very moment without acturally being there. Fog rising off the ground, the golden crimson rays of the sun shooting over the pines that surrouned the _Ark _and its mountian in a spatacular array of light. Webs of spiders who'd constructed them last night, morning dew glestening off of the inpossably thin threads of silk like newly cut diamonds. The sky over head starting to turn an odd but _appealing_ mixture of blue and orange-red while the clouds turned unnatural yet so natural mixture themselves.

"Wheeljack?"

For some reason he didn't jump as baddly as he thought he would have hearing someone behind him call his name unexpectably. Raising his head and flickering his optics back on Wheeljack turned around half way in his chair to face whom ever had called his name.

Stepping over a pill of wires and scrapmetal he hadn't yet finished sorting was Teletran being careful were he put his foot down. Wires and the like were never a good thing to get stuck under the foot. They had a tendiousy to be extremely painful at times. Trust the inventor he new what it felt like.

Vocal indicators flashing brightly, "Oh hey Teletran. What brings you here so early?"

Placing his foot back on the ground mindful of the meanicing wires aournd him on the floor Teletran let a small smile creep upon his face. "What? I have to have a reason to come visit a friend and say good morning?"

Chuckling Wheeljack stood up and moved some items off the chair to his left placing it out of the way and gestured for the slightly darker than the _Ark _colored hacker to take a seat. "No I suppose you don't." seating back in his own seat "I see you're in a much better mood than you have been."

Taking the offered set Teletran shrugged leaning back in the chair. "Lot of things have been going on lately, been making me aggitated and edgy I guess, I wont lie to you." rubbing a hand over his face sighing

"We can't blame you." refering to the rest of the Autobot's in the _Ark_ "At least things appear to finally starting to. . .get back to normal."

Narrowing his yellow orange optics Teletran frowned turning his gaze over his companions workshop but just as Wheeljack had done earler he really didn't focus on anything. Noticing that the hacker hadn't commented back, which was odd enough since Teletran, always more time than not, had something to say. Wheeljack knew that he always did and sometimes he didn't say it outloud. Turning back around Wheeljack looked into the hackers golden optics and saw how serious they were.

_"I think things are just getting started__."_ muttered Teletran whether it was to Wheeljack himself or to no one at all, the Lancia wasn't sure

A little unsettled Wheeljack leaned forward gripping the arms of the chair he was seating in not caring his slightly nervous emotions show in his light blue optics. "What do you mean by that Teletran? What else could possably happen?!" The inventor erupted

At first, things had been bad then they had gone from bad to all out _Pit _and Teletran was saying it was just getting started?! That was enough to get the inventor out of his comfort zone. . .or something. Only moving his head back to meet Wheeljack's light blue optics Teletran didn't care much for the hard serious look that he just knew was on his own faceplate.

"What else, indeed." the hacker muttered putting his fist to the side of his head holding it up.

"Come on 'Tran, there couldn't be anything else! First you and . . ." Wheeljack stopped himself from continuing with what he was thinking seeing his friends optics flash. When the hackers optics did that it was never a good thing, he'd learned that a long time ago.

Continuing Wheeljack slide back in his set looking down trying to calm himself ". . ._You,_ then all this with the virus and all the mechs it left mangled afterwards. Everyone is just starting to get back to their lives. If something else happened we wouldn't survive it Teletran!"

Now able to met his friends gaze with his own serious and determined one. The next thing that happend Wheeljack didn't suspect_ to _happen but he should have seen it coming. But didn't. He watched as a slightly smug smile crossed Teletran's face, his optics turning back to their yellow gold tent.

_'Why was he smiling now of all times?'_

Straighting himself Teletran stood looking down opon his friend now enjoying that confused expression on his friends faceplate.

"Who said it was going to be a _bad_ change? Certainly not me."

Wheeljack deadpanned giving his friend the most heated look he could muster up. But before he realized it Teletran was heading back to towards the door chuckling to himself.

"Teletran! I told you not to do that!" The hacker just laughed waving back as he made his exit

000

Walking down the still quiet halls of the _Ark _the resedent hacker had his head down optics off in thought.

He didn't need to see to know where he was heading to. Even though he hadn't been a major accet in building the massive ship had been the one who had egineered the blueprints for making sure the resedents of the ship would be safe. And as every creator he couldn't help but put part of himself into his creation. It would take to long to explain and not just because of the complexity.

Teletran knew everything about _his_ ship.

Thinking back the converstation he'd just had with the egineer Teletran knew how much truth were in Wheeljack's his words and his own. Everything was just getting started for something to set clock pieces into motion for the future. Whether it was the near future or the distant future, time told no one until it was ready. But this time Teletran didn't have the nagging feeling of a looming shadow somewhere over him that something bad was going to happen.

Stopping in the middle of the hallway Teletran stared down the hall acturally listening to the silence while listening to the ship coming alive just as the Earths creators waked outside.

'_Speak of the Devil.'_ He thought bitterly to himself

Hands on his hips the gold hacker looked back the way he had he had just come down from. . .at the figure down the end of the hall.

Their it stood, the reflection of his former self yet it wasn't him at the same time.

A pair of green slits that were eyes staring back at his now dark gold ones.

Standing steadfast Teletran didn't flench of the slightest knowing. Just as everyone else had over came their inner most demons these past few weeks. . .he knew the time had come for himself to press his foot down on his own demons.

At the very moment light flushed into the _Ark's _entrance that was just around the courner turning the orange texture of the walls into a glorious gold-yellow. Teletran felt the warmth hit his back relaxing him and smirked watching as his shadow opened its mouth baring its fangs in an futile attempt to take its _vector_ back.

To no avil.

Chuckling, Teletran turned on his heel, hands grasped behind his back lesureily as he headed out to finish watching the sun rise. His own frame glowing in a spitacular display of gold-yellow.

000

Once again back to the quiet he liked in his workshop when he had a lot on his mind. Wheeljack sighed slumping down in his chair trying to get what his friend had just said.

It was still kind of hard to believe it was all over this living hell they'd all had to endure to the expense of their own sanity almost. Luckily everyone had come out alive, maybe not in one piece, physicaly or mental that was questionable still.

_'Darn it Teletran, way to start out a day.' _

For the second time since the sun started to rise someone enturputed his thoughts but at least this time they had enough resepect to press the buzzer. Leaning back letting his helm laying horizontally with the back of the chair backrest Wheeljack looked over at the door upside down and part of the ceiling.

"Its unlocked!" the Lancia called

_'Wait.__ . . I thought I locked it.'_ The sound of Wheeljack making a rude sound some where in his chest echoed lightly through the room _'Teletran I thought you stopped hacking into rooms vorns ago'_.

"Uh Wheeljack? You alright there?"

Blinking his optics Wheeljack turned back to gaze at the door and saw Ratchet walking in an optics ridge raised.

"Sorry." seating back up propperly in his chair

"Teletran strike again?" slight amusment in his tone

"Yes" twirling his chair around "Now. What bring's you here?"

Ratchet, using the heel of his boot, turned the chair around so he was facing the desk that had Wheeljacks current project seated to it. Shutting off his optics sighing Ratchet didn't reply admititedly, not exscatally sure what to say. He'd thought about it over and over again in his processor since a couple of nights ago but still already knowing what he wanted to say wasn't easy. This was a delicate process almost like working in the inside of another Transformers innards.

'_How had I__ gotten myself into this?'_

Cocking his head to the side Wheeljack grew slightly concerned, "Ratch'?"

Leaning forward, "Later tonight when you get off shift I need you to come by the med-bay or my office. Prime and myself need to speak with you about something."

For a long moment the inventor just stared back at the medic with confused light blue optics not really sure what had just happened. There was something odd inside the medics vocal patterns and he couldn't figure out what it was but it almost sounded like he wasn't sure about something. What? He could only guess. It was an odd thing considering it was Ratchet who was talking. Closing his mouth behind his mask Wheeljack cocked his head back slightly raising an optics ridge the turned to look over his desk, prossessor running.

"Alright, sure." Wheeljack said "I'll be there about thirty minutes after I get off shif." Delepertly avoiding all the questions he now had plaguing his prowerful processor now.

Nodding his head Ratchet stood up placing a hand on the inventors shoulders lightly before he head toward the door. "See you later then 'Jack" Suffering from a serious case of déjà vu Wheeljack watched the boxy white CMO leave, confused as ever.

". . .Yeah."

000

A/N:

Again my apologies for taking so long I, for some reason, lost my muse and have been working on other stuff than doing my writing/typing. I'm acturally working on like five different stories around everything else. Getting ready for exams, finish reading books that need finishing, life. . .Eh shutting up now.

Hope you enjoyed it and thanks for reading, please leave me some kind words, meaning review people!

This story is kindly detected to MyBlueOblivion, glad and hope you're enjoying this!

Transformers and all related char(s) belong to Has/Tak and co.

Except for Teletran's persona, and the plot, are mine

Names and characters are entirely coincidental


	7. Chapter 6

"_To be alive only to appetite, pleasure, pride, money-making, and not to goodness and kindness, purity and love, poetry, music, flowers, stars, God and eternal hopes, is to deprive one's self of the real joy of living."_ - David O. McKay

Ch 6

000

Room dimmed once again glowing that green and blue glow like the inside of a lab three mech's and a young women stared at the work in front of them not really sure what to make of it. Wheeljack was dumbstruck and completely mesmerized at the same time as he leaned over his commander's desk to get a better look at the large blue screen. Optimus Prime stood off to the side arms crossed tightly over his chest. Even though he stood as still and stiff as a statue the others-minus Wheeljack who was preoccupied at the moment- could sense something was off with their leader. They just couldn't seem to figure it out exactly. It was almost like he was uncomfortable with them being here.

Blair had known it form the beginning that something was drastically off with the Prime and it was bothering her to no end. But being who she was as a person she couldn't bring herself to ask and she hated herself for it.

She just kept on hoping it would all come to a stop soon and everything would go back like it use to be.

"This is just surreal." Muttered Wheeljack tapping the lower ridges of his mask "I have never questioned your intelligence sir. . ." turning his attention to Optimus whose blue optics glowed somewhat eerily under his helm ridge. ". . .But this seems out of your jurisdiction."

At first Optimus didn't move what so ever or even seemed that he would reply to the engineer's statement. He just continued to stand in the same place in the same position indeed like a statue.

Wheeljack suddenly felt a slight ping of nervousness creep into him.

"I don't know how I did it."

If he hadn't actually knew Prime was their Wheeljack was sure he would have jumped from the silence that had fell in the room and suddenly being shattered. But still Prime's voice was low and soft like he was exhausted from not getting an rest, which was most likely the case. Luckily he did know Optimus Prime was there.

Wheeljack's optics flickered in a blink as he regained his poseur it just registering with him that Prime had spoken. Turning to Ratchet who stood not to far behind him the doctor also had his arms crossed over his broad chest but nowhere near as tightly as Optimus.

"What do you make of it Ratchet?"

Craning her neck to look up at the medic who lowered his arms to his sides, sighing. "I staid up to late for my liking last night going over the tests I ran on you, Optimus." Blair remembered that, she had already been in the med-bay when Prime had arrived for the examine Ratchet had wanted to run yesterday. "I've only seen this once before but then again it a rare case."

Optimus Prime stood as he had been but his dark gray faceplate was no longer hidden in shadow since he'd lifted his head up slightly. He didn't look like an animal hiding his anger behind a calm demeanor who thought these two mech's in his personal quarters were threats.

"What?" asked Blair intrigued

Staring back at his commander's work "We all know what these are" raising his hand toward Prime's desk "there basic instructions for building a protoform."

"An infant Transformer, right."

"Essentially, yes" Ratchet nodded "What I was speaking of though was, is that for Prime to do this on his own is rare. Only a mech who has a sparkmate and is with spark can do this, considering."

Blair gapped and Wheeljack just felt slightly uncomfortable all of a sudden. Optimus Prime though did nothing except raise an optic ridge. Shutting her mouth Blair looked up and over at the Autobot commander.

"My sparkmate has passed and I'm certainly _not_ baring." Stated Prime his voice blankly calm "What is _wrong_ with me Ratchet?" he asked

They could here it in his voice as he spoke, his tone slightly rising into almost pleading. Taking a moment to gather his thought Ratchet brought his hand up and rubbed the bridge of his olfactory.

"I honestly don't know." Shaking his head "Incidents like this are rare only a small handful of documents on cases similar to Prime's exist. And I only have a few on hand."

Blair frowned "I'm confused"

"I know what you're talking about" stated Wheeljack back to the desk now "But it doesn't make any sense" Blair added in a murmured:_ "You're telling me," _

"I know." Replied Ratchet

The room feel silent from their own and it was almost unbearable for the lot but for some reason no one could think of anything to say. Optimus turned his blue helm to look over all the work he had done over the last couple of days but said nothing.

"It's not the same" the two mech's and human looked over at Ratchet who had the distant thought full look in his optics. "Its something. . ._different_."

This time Ratchet fixed his blue optics on Optimus like was trying to make his commander talk. To tell them the some answer they longed for to help them out in the predicament. And it seemed to work. Prime bowed his head staring down at the floor hiding his optics under the rim of his helm only the blue glow from them visible in the dark room.

"It's. . .it was like an. . .uncontrollable urge but at the same time I didn't even realize what I was doing. Only that I had to do it; a _priority_." He murmured his voice still that low tone he'd been using

Silence that irritating kind of silence seemed to becoming a common thing here but there was no room for humor here either. Ratchet, Wheeljack, and Blair looked Optimus Prime for a long moment as what he said sunk in. They weren't really sure of what to make of it.

"I think I know why but what do you want me to for?" asked Wheeljack looking over at his commander

Engineer and commander stared at each other for a few minutes as if daring the other to speak. And again the silence fell pushing down and almost crushing the chest. Finally Optimus optics flickered, and just like that they showed seriousness in them that seemed almost unnatural. It made Wheeljack slightly unnerved but he didn't let it show. But he couldn't completely mask how tired he looked. Blair briefly wondered if he had gotten any sleep recently when he should have. Mostly likely not.

"This phase, paternal instinct, whatever I'm going through it won't change that I can't build something like this." Holding his arm up to his desk in the same fashion Ratchet had done "That's _your_ department."

Narrowing his optics in thought Wheeljack crossed his arms over his chest holding one elbow in the palm of his right hand. He went back to analyzing all the things on Prime's desk with optics only a mech like he could posses. It was uncompleted and the engineer knew until Ratchet intervened it wouldn't be finished.

Optimus had a good point, a valid one it made all the sense why he'd ask something of him, with this. He had built all the Dinobot's from the ground up, from scratch, and having to use some of Earth's materials at that. And of course with Ratchet's help. Wheeljack would always say the Dinobot's would be one of his greatest achievements to date even if they did have a few serious flaws here and there. At least they didn't explode without any warning what so ever.

A hand on his shoulder drew him out of his musing. Looking over his shoulder Wheeljack met the kind gaze he was so familiar with from his commander, his friend.

"I wouldn't ask this of you if I didn't trust you, or knowing you couldn't handle it. I both trust you-with my life- and I know you can pull something like this off without breaking a bolt."

Even though he couldn't see Prime's face nor could he see his own they both knew somehow the other was smiling behind their masks.

"I'll gladly take on this task sir." Wheeljack didn't even try to hold back pride that came up with his voice

"You realize your missing something, right."

Both of them turned their heads toward Ratchet who still hadn't lowered his arms to his sides. Wheeljack admittedly knew what he was referring to.

"What is that?" asked Optimus successfully keeping back his concern from entering his voice

"Each spark is different, I know you know sir." Wheeljack began putting a hand on Optimus shoulder this time "Sparks are crucially different when they're first ignited. Size, strength, how delicate they our, and stamina, _slag_ even their color is different."

"Most importantly their core-codes." Added Ratchet

That statement admittedly caught Blair's attention. It was a new term she hadn't heard before. Even though her studies with Ratchet and Wheeljack hadn't gotten to in depth in that regards of sparks she had only brushed against the basics of unraveling them.

"Core-codes?"

"Core-codes can't be changed by anything natural and even on come accounts unnatural. They reside in the very _center _or the core of our sparks nucleus," explained Ratchet "Think of it as Transformers DNA, our chromosomes. They make use who we our as far as personality and/or characteristics go." Finished Wheeljack for her

"Ah."

"We can't build a protoform to we have statistics on the spark itself. If the protoform is too big the spark could not except it and extinguish. If it's to small the spark will implode and extinguish."

Not speaking Optimus walked around to take a seat behind his desk. He said nothing as he looked over the items on his desk. Blair frowned slightly sharing a glance with Ratchet both had similar looks on their faces and similar thoughts running through their heads.

"I need Prowl . . .and maybe Jazz." Running a blue hand over his faceplate

"Are you sure?" Ratchet asked

"Yes." Nodding his head "We'll need someone who can keep the other from getting to. . .curious. Jazz knows the tricks of the trade and what to do with the _curious_."

They could hear it in their leader voice how tired he was. How tired he was getting. Ratchet knew it way before Prime's voice started betraying him and knew he was getting agitated. He was Prime's personal doctor and he knew his patient wasn't doing well.

Blowing air through his vents, "Alright I'll tell them you wish to speak with them _later_. Right now you need some rest before you go into stasis whether you like it or not."

Surprisingly Optimus didn't put up much of a fight, he didn't even protest as Ratchet go him to his feet and led him to his personal chambers in the next room. Wheeljack and Blair watched quietly not interrupting the two. As Optimus personal quarters door shut behind them Wheeljack let a nearly inaudible sigh and went over to his commander's desk. Blair knew what he was planning on doing so he didn't interrupt the engineer in task she waited patiently.

Thumbs hooked in the loops on her jeans Blair bowed her head and closed her eyes thinking. She wished she had some music or something along that line to listen to besides Wheeljack's quiet muttering the room was completely quiet. Annoyingly quiet in her opinion.

By the time Wheeljack was done was about the same time Blair raised her head to watched Ratchet walk out of Prime personal quarters. He looked tired to but then again she was to and not because it was getting late. She paused and backtracked. Raising her right arm she used her other hand and slider the sleeve her shirt back and looked at the time on her watch.

She muttered a swear. It was already late not getting there.

"Up ya get, Blair."

Blair snapped her head up and found a black hand hovering right in front of her in offering for her to climb on. Taking a quick glance up at the engineer Blair climbed into the mech's hand and let him take her up as she leaned back against his large digits. Running her hand through her dark brown hair Blair looked up at the inventor who had long since exited Optimus Prime's quarters.

"Is Optimus going to be alright 'Jack?" she asked

Wheeljack looked down at her quickly before looking back up so he could watch where he was going as he walked. "Yeah he's going to be fine. If he doesn't stop _not_ recharging Ratchet going to go haywire and do something drastic."

They both chuckled at the mech's humor. He was probably right; Ratchet probably would do something like that. But in all seriousness they could tell that their commander, their friend really needed to start recharging properly, that and take in his energon like he needed to.

"Don't worry about it to much Blair I think everything will turn out alright in the end."

Stopping for a moment Blair stared at nothing particular then turned around and looked up at the engineer like something world changing just popped in her head or something. Wheeljack glanced down at her then double tacked a little concerned as to why she was looking at him like that. Just as he was about to ask what was wrong Blair turned around with a grin on her face.

"Blair, you alright? What was that look for?"

Placing her hand behind her head like a pillow of sorts, chuckling. "Nothing. I believe what you said. It will turn out alright in the end."

000

A/N:

I promise some how this story is getting somewhere, how I don't know. And like always hope you enjoyed, please leave me a review. Oh and if your curious as to what was up with Blair toward the end go read Lost But Not Forgotten, accident I asure you.

This story is detected to MyBlueOblivion, thanks bro.

Transformers and all related char(s) belong to Has/Tak and co.

Except for Blair, and the plot, are mine

Names and characters are entirely coincidental


	8. Chapter 7

_There's another world inside of me  
That you may never see  
There're secrets in this life  
That I can't hide  
Somewhere in this darkness  
There's a light that I can't find  
Maybe it's too far away...  
Maybe I'm just blind..._

_Maybe I'm just blind..._

Ch 7

000

It held the wisdom of the ages long since past and ones he had yet to see and probably would never. It's realm existed outside normal space and time in a place that he didn't know and probably would never know until his time came. When his hourglass emptied. He had only been inside of it on a few occasions in the past. None of them had been for a good reason from what happened to him in normal time. But he had never deliberately opened it up and stepped through its threshold to go inside.

Though peace was _there_ he wasn't ready for it. He had too much in his time that still needed his skills, the hope he provided, a sense of security that he had never found himself even though he appeared to hold a lot within him. It was a _bitter sweet_ thing but he knew he would have to leave the door open behind him so he could exit later.

Inside was warmth like no other, all pains: _gone_. Yet though despite the pressure that had been on his chest was lifted. Was it dread that washed over him like someone was holding his head under water? He'd been walking around the base, going through his work in a daze, like a mindless zombie with only instinct guiding them. Perhaps not even that.

The warmth wasn't from the light that made his frame glow it felt more like a parent holding a scared child who needed comforting. It felt like an ancient pair of arms wrapped around him but there was that feeling of a steadfast father or superior looking down on him with a scrutinizing eye. It wasn't like that feeling of 'the bug under the microscope' or a child caught passing notes in class by the teacher but it was a feeling that caused a slight ping of anxiety.

There was no floor, ceiling or walls but he could stand up. Even with the complete light that seemed to have no source he had a shadow under his feet. But not just a single one, but several that pointed out in every direction. It wasn't just a white realm, if he looked closely he could see small nearly transparent floating spheres drifting around of all different sizes and colors. Most were very bright calming colors but every once in a while a gray or even a black one would float by.

Looking around he could see odd fractures here and there like broken glass but there was no wall, they were just there.

"Matrix," he paused listening to his voice drawn out into the distance until it faded out. "I wish to speak with you." He called

In the past when he had spoken to it, what he called only as the; Entity, that resided within the Matrix, it was always extraordinary. Their voices always sounded like it was drawn out but there was no echo. He had always sensed that he had knew who spoke to him but for some reason he never agreed with himself who it probably and most likely was.

"_Speak, my vector."_

With the few times that he had spoken to the Entity within the Matrix he, she, perhaps even _it_, had never revealed its face. He presumed it was male because of the voice. The voice was crisp and clean yet still held the aura of respect and commanding that he held in his own voice at time. Time like this when he had to speak to the entity, whether by choice or no, he never felt like the Autobot commander that he was or at least his soldiers, his friends claimed him to be.

"I'm here to ask of you a request."

For some reason he found that he kept his optics down where the floor should have been. It reminded him of the Greek mythological beast called Madam Medusa; one glance into her eyes and you were turned to stone. But he wasn't afraid right now. . .or was he? He didn't know.

For a moment there he wondered if he was going to be given an answer but when the Entity of the Matrix replied, its voice was low and quiet. It was as if it had been studying him for a long period of time and was saying out loud of what he came to a conclusion on.

"_Something has shaken the stone platform under your feet Prime." _The voice paused as if waiting for him to reply back in some sort of manner and he wouldn't deny that he wanted to but he held himself back. Taking up use of the calm and patience he acquired through the vorns.

"_You come here asking of me a _request_. . ."_ once again with a pause that was suspenseful and rather torturing as it drew out request as if it left a bitter taste in its mouth. Did it even _have_ a mouth? _"Your mind is unstable. . . making your decisions. . ._questionable,_ even to yourself." _He could swear he could here the smirk in that voice_ "Why should I accept a request of someone in your _condition_?" _

He clenched his fists for a moment then let his digits relax realizing that the Entity of the Matrix was correct as it always was. The Matrix never spoke to him within his own time, _outside_, but when he did pay a visit to the in bows of the Matrix, where ever that was, the ancient relic of the Autobot commanders that had been Prime in the past, it or _he_, never _shut up_ it seemed. The Entity seemed to sense his discomfort because a chuckle circled around him.

"_Why should I accept, let alone _consider_ what ever this request is_. . ._Optimus Prime?" _

The Entity in the Matrix was a monarch. A cold, cruel, being, which could best even the greatest physiologists and/or therapists. It was like a machine that only held icy logic to help make its decisions. At the same time it could be the best source of reason in a tight spot. The Matrix never spoke to him in his own time. He could barely remember the last time it had actually spoken to him last, that was how rare it was.

He could almost, always, sense the presence of the Matrix, or what he presumed was the relic that resided within his chest. He'd always had been able to. It had literally become a part of him in the most sense of the meaning. It was deeply unsettling when he couldn't sense it. There had been times in the past where he'd tried to cry out to the Matrix in the some of the most desperate of times and his only answer had been a gold void.

Not even the faintest of whisper.

Shutting off his optics and taking in air into his vents then slowly letting it out. The slow intake of cold air felt good to his systems. On-lining his optics he looked up to nothing but the small nearly transparent floating spheres.

"I don't know what's happening to me Entity." Optimus Prime began voice louder than it had been since coming here. "I've been walking around my world in a. . .a daze. That's the only way I can explain it." Holding his arms out at his sides in an almost pleading gesture. "With only _one_ prime directive that seems to have been programmed into me by something or someone that I have no reclamation of." Dropping his arms to his sides he bowed his head as if the energy was suddenly drained. "There's something I have to do but. . ."

_"I know what you want, Prime."_ The voice said matterafactly

"Then perhaps you know already what my request is?"

The Entity didn't reply admittedly but he knew that it wasn't because it was pondering on its answer. _"I do."_ It stated flatly

That's when something occurred to him. If the Entity within the Matrix knew about his request could it possibly know more? And if so, how much and _could_ he answer all the unanswered questions he had stored up for so long. Could it answer the question as to who that voice was that he was suppose to know but didn't? Was there indeed another force at work? And most importantly, what was this directive that was driving him. Where did it come from and where did it plan on taking him?

_"Why should I waist my energy on this. . ._Artificer _Project_? _The powers of the Matrix are vast yet limited. . .why do you think I'll only prompt one soul to handle suck a relic. A Prime. What makes you think that you're even _worthy_ of its powers than any other child of Primus?"_

Every word was like a sharp jab into his very persona, he had to close his optics just to keep from flinching. They say that the most painful information is the truth and that it was. The Matrix was the only thing that made him who he was. Its wisdom was vast like its power that was uncharted and always would be. He deserved nothing more than any other soul, he was a Transformer created just like the next. The title of Autobot commanding officer—Prime, was nothing here. He had no right asking the Matrix because the Matrix saw the children of Primus as all _one_, all-equal. Title, rank, age, it meant nothing.

_'It is was a place where all where one and treated as such.'_

Bowing at the waist, "Please accept my deepest apologies, I've out stepped my position." Straitening him self, "But I had to ask. You're my last, my only chance. We're stranded on Earth, there was no other option left." He could have hit himself for the whinnying tone in his voice

_"So you came to me risking your physical embodiment to ask me of a request that you may just leave empty hand with."_

He wasn't sure whether that was actually all the Entity had said. Its voice seemed like it trailed off as if suddenly distracted or had forgotten what else it was going to say. That wasn't possible though, he thought. His decision in the end, was not to ask about it.

"I. . .I just had to ask." He said quietly his voice just above as whisper as he cast his gaze down

There was a long pause after that where the two didn't speak. Prime had no desire to speak as for the Entity, he didn't know or what it could possibly be thinking or considering. But he wanted to know if there any possibly way to convince it to accept his request.

_"What is your request Prime?"_

Momentarily he could have sworn his systems froze inside of him; his whole body tensing as he tried to let what the Entity had just said sink in. Did he really just hear it right? Snapping his head up optics wide. A chuckling sound made him take a step back suddenly embarrassed as he showed his surprise by mistake.

_"Yes I just asked. . .now tell me before I reconsider."_

Quickly regaining his poseur and trying to make sure he didn't stumble over his own words so he wouldn't look foolish, he told the Entity his request. When he was finished a suspenseful tension fell upon him and for once the realm actually felt small as the pressure in his chest grew for reasons unknown. What would the Entity's finally answer be? Would it consider his request? Would he not? There was just so many possibilities that could be his answer and it made his processor pound.

And at last he felt the air shift around him signaling that the Entity was fixing to speak. That usually happened after and extended period of time much like the previous.

_"I will need more time to ponder on your request my Prime. . .Your medic, Ratchet is it?" _it stated_ "Still needs to do some reformatting to your abdominal structures before your precede, yes?"_

Taking a step forward, "But when will I know your answer, how will I know?"

_"You'll know, Prime."_

Slight panic rushing through his systems, Optimus Prime looked around watching as everything suddenly started turning in a warped mess. He could no longer feel the Entity around him putting pressure on his frame, which was a clear sign that the Entity was about to throw him out of his own Matrix. In truth the Matrix wasn't his at all, he was only the one that held it within his chest to be its forever protector and at its mercy.

Losing his balance as his processors suddenly felt like someone had stabbed it and as his intakes felt like that suddenly had been tossed. The sudden sensation of weightlessness engulfed him. The next thing the Prime knew was that he was awake in his dark quarters staring up at the ceiling as if nothing had happened only that he had just awoke from a recharge.

Seating up he put his hand to his head, vertigo stricken. He really did feel like he was fixing to purge his tanks. The pressure in his processor subsiding slightly Optimus got up and went into his personal wash rack, turned it on, and stepped under the warm liquid as it gushed out. Letting the warm coolant wash over his body as he sat down on the floor of the wash rack.

His chest was throbbing, and his head was spinning which thus was making his intakes fill like he was about to purge them. Optimus leaned his head back optics offline; he didn't know how long he actually sat there letting the warm coolant soothe his acing body until he realized what he had to do now.

000

Jazz sat a few paces away on an empty medical table watching as doc Hatchet went through his commanding officers abdomen. Optimus Prime's grill—that usually sat where his abs were, in human terms anyway, sat on a tray just within the CMO's grapping range.

The gold o'l doctor had been examining Prime's innards for the last half a breem and from the saboteurs understanding; looking for any thing that didn't need to be there. Though the Autobot's were _made_ sure that they got regular check-ups, things did happen despite said check-ups.

The examines weren't made to find microscope irregularities that the medic was looking for now but the examines were made to stop them. The med-bay doors sliding open drawing Jazz out of his thoughts to look over at Wheeljack whom strode in. Walking beside him at his feet was Blair her dark brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and a pair of jeans that looked to big on her.

"Ouch!" Came the sudden outburst

"Well hold still!"

"Ratchet, I'm not mov—OW! Ratchet, that was uncalled for."

Laughing at the trade like the other two Autobot's that weren't getting any of Ratchet torture currently, Blair walked over to where Jazz sat and let him pick her. Now that she was on top of the medical berth beside the third in command Blair took a seat herself, Indian style.

"So, Ratchet" she began "What'cha you doing?"

"Beside your own style or torture." Added Jazz smartly

Narrowing his optics slightly Optimus turned his head slightly so he could look at his third in command. "Can we _please _reframe from antagonizing the medic, if you will, Jazz? He's the one who had his hands inside of me." Gesturing to his torso and the medic

Jazz just chuckled sheepishly, "Sorry sir."

Snoring Ratchet said nothing going back to his work. Pulling one of his hands out of Optimus torso gripped an instrument that looked like a syringe just more menacing and put his hand back inside said torso making the Prime flinch slightly.

"Anyway to answer your question," Ratchet stated keeping his optics on his work. "Checking for any imperfections and the like before I start with anything else."

"And that 'anything else' would be?" she asked

"Prime's got to carry a spark somehow right?" finally turning his attention away from his work to look over his shoulder at the human

Shrugging, "Guess so. I don't understand how this is necessary though."

Walking up beside the curious human from where ever he had disappeared to recently Wheeljack stated: "Sparks are delicate things, Blair. But a spark that's just been, well, _sparked_ needs to be calibrated—if you will, since we don't have a Vector Sigma here on Earth."

"What Wheeljack's trying to say," interrupted Ratchet "is that this spark Prime's going to pull out of seamlessly 'out of thin air' has to sync with Optimus' since there is no one else. Newly formed sparks are unstable and without a 'guide' they can extinguish. In situations like that, that's what the femme is there for."

"That and it's going to be Prime's creation, after all." added Wheeljack "And since we don't have a femme here, besides Stormer, Optimus here is going to take on that temporary role." Jazz just snickered but stopped when Blair punched him in the arm, not hard enough to hurt herself but to get her message through to the Porsche knock it off.

"I think I get it."

"Luckily for Optimus he'll only have to carry the spark for a little under a week. Any longer could do serious damage. Considering its just not. . .natural for a mech to carry a secondary spark chamber."

Blair didn't need to ask what he meant by that, she already knew the CMO was right, of course. From what she'd learned that was the partial reason why female Transformers were created for to being with. As the tail went when the Transformers had finally become free from a race of being called the Quintessons the Transformers also started to discover themselves in a sense. They discovered that the massive super computer in Cybertron's core wasn't the only thing on Cybertron that could give life. Femme's could also.

Leaning his head forward slightly Optimus looked down at Ratchet with a slight frown on his faceplate though it was conveyed through his optics. "You make this sound like a bad thing Ratchet."

"Well it slagging is, Optimus!" Ratchet barked "In order to put that temporary chamber inside of you is dangerous all its own. Your body itself isn't going to accept it and the software to stop that impulse won't last very long. We'll be lucky if it even last under a week."

"It would help to know if when we are getting this spark you say you can get. How I don't know if I want to know."

Breaking optics contact with the medic Optimus turned to look over at Wheeljack who was now standing on his right. The question was what all of them were wondering and for long they were going to get an answer out of him whether he like it or not. But in truth I didn't know if he was indeed going to get the spark.

"I'm sorry but I can't answer that."

He was almost done but found no reason to tell anyone here needed to know yet. In truth he really wasn't he.

"I believe you can." Ratchet muttered looking at the mech he had his hands in from the corner of his narrowed optics

The med-bay feel silent besides the tinkering the medic what was doing; placing small tools back around taking them off the tray. Wheeljack looked up at Ratchet a concern in his optics as he helped the CMO from the right side of Optimus Prime's side.

"You know the answer Ratchet but I don't know if that 'answer' will work or not."

Haven been seating in the same spot since she arrived Blair frowned not liking being thrown out of the loops so far as she was now. She was in the loop, that was why she was here right now after all and she didn't like it.

"Then what is it?"

Slowly her light brown eyes lock on with his aqua blue optics letting a whole conversation be said between them. Blair stilled, staring back at him not even remembering whether she did ever blink. There was something odd inside those light blue optics and the message they sent to her.

"You should know already Blair."

_'Should I. . .?'_ As if knowing what was going throw her head Optimus answered; "The Matrix."

A chores of 'what's' echoed through the med-bay even though the med-bay didn't echo.

"How do you plan on asking the Matrix for a spark when it never talks to you let alone whispers?"

Letting his head fall back Optimus didn't need to see who had spoken, he could almost sense the scrutinizing look that he was getting from his second. Med-bay door sliding shut for the second time that night the Autobot second in command standing just within the med-bay doors. The other turned to see the Datsun would just arrived except for Ratchet who just scowled a little more.

Prowl stood still like a statue door wings tense on his back his dark blue optics narrowed. How long had he been standing there?. . .how much had he heard. Apparently enough.

"I already did but like always it remained silence as to its answer." Prime paused for a moment as Ratchet did something to his internals that hurt "It said I'd know."

Prowl sighed and walked over to he end if the medical berth that his superior was lying on and frowned down at him. The Datsun had guts perhaps but in truth it was that deep friendship, and trust that this war had brought between the Prime and his second. It was that that allowed Prowl to get away for out stepping his rank and apposing his commander and get away with it.

Optimus Prime valued Prowl not just for his skills and his sense of logic but for his devotion not just to the Autobot cause or the Autobot's in general, but his friendship's. He held his friendship with one, Optimus Prime now, nearly above anything else.

"That was foolish move! Isn't that why I'm here now?" Prowl stated with a edge of bitterness in his voice "To protect you. . .I didn't know I'd have to protect you from your self."

Finally Prime braved and leaned his head up getting a grunt and a scowl from the CMO who was still working on him. "I know what you would have said Prowl, that's why I didn't tell you."

The others who were watching the exchanged sat quietly on the sidelines not daring to say a word to intervene. Prowls doorwings drew back some more till they were almost parallel with the other.

"That's not the point." He snapped back "You left yourself vulnerable and unprotected! What would have happened if something would have happened?"

Prime had long since started to return the scowl. He really didn't want to argue with his second right now, he wasn't up for it physically or mentally. "And nothing did, I'm here now, in one piece, and the world is still intact, is it not?" he hadn't meant to sound so harsh then but what was said was said

"That—" "Oh Prowler lay off, what's done is done leave 't at that."

Dark blue optics met a glassy blue visor with a look that could kill. If there was one thing that Prowl didn't care much for was, being interrupted was one of them. Jazz looked up at the tactician from where he was seating in an almost unconcerned position. His elbow on his knee joint and holding his head up with the palm of his hand. The 'bot was brave to say the least. Blair looked between the two slightly afraid what was might happened.

"Why should I?"

"'Cause fer one ya know trying ta tell Prime somethin' when its processor is dead set on it is poin'less. He can be as stubborn as the Twins sometimes, ya know 'at." Leaning back propping himself up with his arms behind his back on the medical table

Prowl just glared back for a few moments before sighing, defeated.

Jazz would have smirked winning the battle, but didn't. "That an' we're tired no sense arguin' this late. I'm personally not up for it. Ya get me?"

Prowl said nothing as he walked over to one of Ratchet's medical counsels lining the wall in the back and placed what he'd been caring down. As for the medic he just growled at Prime for moving while he was right in the middle of working as he pushed the large mech back down on his back. Wheeljack got a slap on the back of the helm for laughing.

_I won't tell you a damn thing  
That I could not tell my friends  
Roaming through this darkness  
I'm alive but I'm alone  
Part of me is fighting this  
But part of me is gone._

_'When I'm Gone'_ - Three Doors Down

000

A/N:

Kinda abrupt ending but I was kind running in empty toward the end. Go to 3 Doors Down's official website and watch their video with them on the aircraft carrier, it's really moving.

Well hope you enjoyed it, please leave a review, it would be most appreciated.

And yes this story is kindly detected to MyBlueOblivion, glad your enjoying it bro!

Transformers and all related char(s) belong to Has/Tak and co.

'_When I'm Gone'_ belong respectably to 3 Doors Down

Except for Blair, and the plot, which are mine

Names of/and char(s) are entirely coincidental


	9. Chapter 8

"_Enjoy the present hour, be thankful for the past, and neither fear nor wish th' approaches."_ –Abraham Cowley

Ch 8

000

A shutter ran down his frame involuntarily and he couldn't quite place what it actually felt like. It wasn't like a chill from being out in the night air or like someone was watching him, it wasn't either of those nor anything else. Perhaps it was just that after effect of having Ratchet's hands inside of him. He didn't know.

They were under a schedule now though he didn't feel like much of one to be honest. Tomorrow night they were going to go through the procedure to implant the temporary secondary spark chamber.

Ratchet had made if firmly clear only a few moments before sending Optimus Prime on his way that he shouldn't ingest any type of energon, oil, _anything_. Though Prime was sure he could go without any energon within the next 24 hours it was a simple task. Ratchet had made sure that his energy levels were at their proper levels before sending him on his way.

Running his hand down his faceplate he briefly wondered if Ratchet would give him something for his processor, it was throbbing again.

Grasping his hands behind his back and staring down the hall he was walking down he realized something he hadn't earlier. For the first time in what felt like ages he didn't feel like there was a dark cloud over his head or something weighing him down. He'd been wrapped in the cold grip of depression and all that came with it and more he'd almost forgot what it felt like to be. . .free.

Not the right word he was looking for, he thought, but it fit fine.

It felt good like taking a cold long gulp of energon after a long agonizing trek across a barren waist land.

Finally deciding to focus on something rather than nothing Optimus looked around in front of him and saw how bright it was. He looked behind him just to make sure he wasn't walking in a tunnel.

He wasn't, thank Primus.

Checking his chronometer for the time he was somewhat surprised that the sun was already able to shine into the _Ark_. The entrance the _Ark_ wasn't to far off and since Prowl had said he'd take care of the morning assignments for him that he usually did to begin a day, Prime figured he'd watch the sun rise. Though he missed it rising. Cybertronians could absorb solar energy though it wasn't a common deliberate action. Nor was it a common thing to do regularly since it just took so long. From his time here on Earth he found that fresh solar rays were the best.

Why he didn't know, or if it was just him but he didn't concern himself with it. What ever worked.

Passing another hallway that branched off the one he was walking down now Prime caught something off the corner of his aqua colored optics. Seeing who it was Optimus for some reason let a small smile, a confident one perhaps appeared behind his mask. Leaning against the wall facing the incoming leader was Teletran arms crossed over his chest one leg crossed over the other.

The golden mech was giving him that look, the one he always gave when he was in one of his, what was a good way to put it, irritated maybe, moods. Prime wondered to himself if he happened to be a femme in a past life. That thought just made him smile more and slightly more thankful for his mask.

"Teletran." Prime greeted despite knowing Teletran wouldn't be here right now, in one of his more _negative_ moods, without meaning business.

Letting his optics brighten with slight menace, "When were you going to tell me 'bout all this?"

And like that Prime's smile was gone but he gave the hacker credit. Like the golden mech always said: 'He knew all that happened within the _Ark_.' It really was futile. Luckily for the Autobot's a board the golden mech's ship Teletran had morals. Which sometimes irritated the slag out of Prowl. And that's why the Twins never prank the hacker too.

"I'm sorry Teletran. I haven't been. . ." glanced at the floor for a moment before looking back up. "thinking straight lately. I would have included you on. . ._this_ but—."

The resident hacker sighed pushing off the wall stopped Prime in his explanation and giving him his attention. Optimus highly respected the golden mech and got the respect back. Though the two hadn't known the other as long, as say for example the Prime had known Ironhide but the hacker and Prime were friends. But not in the same sense as Optimus was friend with the old war vet and Teletran to Wheeljack.

It was like two people who rarely saw each other, rarely spook yet they trusted each other like friends who spent all there time together and had nearly a whole life's worth of thrust. It was hard to explain unless you actually had a friendship like that.

"Eh don't worry 'bout it Prime." He let a the edge of his lips curve into a smile as he stepped a little closer to his superior and friend "If it was anyone else, well minus Wheeljack, I'd be insulted." Patting Prime's shoulder "You go off easy this time."

Prime chuckled, "Well that's some good news."

Letting a few moments pass Teletran glanced down at the floor before looking back up at the blue and red mech, looking at those aqua colored optics that where glowing from the sun that was invading his ship, "But in all seriousness Optimus." He began already having the commander's attentions "If you wanted to make sure this _project_ of yours is safe, along with yourself, you should have come to me."

Pausing, Teletran watched Optimus bow his head slightly looking away breaking optic contact. He knew Optimus felt bad about it but he'd get to that in a minute. Prime also knew that his friend was serenely right.

"As should Prowl" 'Tran began, his voice low and calm "I'm the most logical choice to keep this secret and I'm not just being vain." Frowning. Optimus looked up at the golden mech as he put his red hand on the leaders red shoulder, "I'm an understanding mech" smirking and shrugging giving off the impression that he was rolling his optics. "Most of the time anyway I'll let this pass, too." smiling coyly

Prime let his own chuckle escape his vocals and 'Tran joined him in the humor. They both knew how temperamental the hacker could be and that he didn't deny it. Why? It was very good weapon on his account sometimes.

As Teletran let his hand drop to his side Optimus nodded his blue helm his good demeanor coming back now. "Come by my quarters at 1900 hours and I'll debrief you. It's the least I can do."

Crossing his arms over his chest, "Fare enough."

And with that Optimus watched the golden hacker disappear down the hall he'd just come down from. Having Teletran as an ally was a good thing to have. The mech was loyal—almost to a fault, to ones who he deemed worthy or deemed themselves worthy under his book to him. And he was trust worthy there was no doubt about that. Though he may not seem like that kind of mech if you meant him for the first time without 'knowing' about him but Optimus knew other wise.

Taking one last glimpse down the hall to his left, the one Teletran had appeared down he was transfixed by the array of colors that were shinning in. One more hall down was the exit and Prime knew he must have rained last night because little rainbows dancing on the walls why'll waves of light gold were bouncing near the bass of the walls.

The sector he was in was known as the open sector, which had several halls that led into the innards workings of the _Ark_. For long that was going to change once they began construction on the outer sectors to make the _Ark _more secure.

That had been one of the first fritzes when Teletran had woken up was how _open_ the _Ark_ had been. Because of recent. . .problems they hadn't had much time or resources to begin the project. That wouldn't be much longer though.

Sighing Optimus bowed his head for a moment before going on his way back to his office. The day was still young but he was already behind on his days work.

000

A/N:

Sorry, filler, not necessarily for suspense just because I had to get this out of way. I was going to add Teletran's reaction—like I did Wheeljack and Ratchet but I was like eh, no.

Reviews and constructive crit. is always welcomed.

This story is kindly detected to my dear friend MyBlueOblivion, thanks for all the support bro.

Transformers and all related char(s) belong to Has/Tak and co.

Except for Teletran, and the plot, which are mine

Names and/of char(s) are entirely coincidental


	10. Chapter 9

"_Life is made up, not of great sacrifices or duties, but of little things, in which smiles, and kindnesses, and small obligations, given habitually, are what win and preserve the heart and secure comfort."_ –Humphrey Davy

Ch 9

000

He didn't remember returning here he couldn't even remember what he'd been doing at first. Then he did. Earlier today he'd been spending most of his time in his office attempting to catch up on work that he desperately needed to catch up on. Prowl and Jazz, for the most part, had been helping but now Optimus felt bad, for he was sure he'd swamped his two officers in work. That and he just knew Jazz _hated_ it but would never openly complain to Optimus.

The Porsche understood the circumstances and how much stress his commander was currently under. That was no excuse though. In the past couple of weeks they'd all been under a load of stress from the Nightmare as well as among other things.

He owed the two a lot.

Thinking back he recalled getting a small cold energon cube and heading to his sleeping chambers but he had no intention of actually falling into recharge. He was just going to sit down and let his processor clear for a while. Thing was he didn't even remember lying back yet some how he knew he had at some point.

Something was off though he could fell it but not identify it. His processor was in a fog and he felt heavy yet at the same time he felt like he was floating. Almost forcefully he on-lined his optics and giving them a few moments to clear he attempted to take in his surroundings.

That's when he'd found out where he was. Up-righting himself he was slightly surprised that he was _in fact_ floating. Normally he seemed to be standing though there was no floor.

Suddenly he was hit completely out of nowhere with overwhelming sense of vertigo that made him sick to his tank. He was sure he would have doubled over if it weren't for him floating. Optics lids shut tight he tried to ease the horrible sensation but it didn't help much, but a little was welcomed.

Slowly for what felt like eons the vertigo dissipated only leaving a ghosting sensation in and on him. Now though he felt a slight chill over his frame like he'd been dumped in a warm pool of water and pulled back out to cold air. Like a human who had phenomena. What was going on? This had never happened before. Maybe it was the way he'd gotten here. Finally daring to online his optics, pushing his anxiety and panic down, unfolding his arms where he'd had them wrapped around his abdomen he was met with a site like none other.

It was space, nothing but it. Stars were twinkling in the distance larger than he'd ever seen them. Normally space was black but here it was a dark indigo and violet and looked like it was straight out a science fiction artist's head. It was just captivating.

Turning his body slightly he drifted around taking in all the beauty before him. In the distance probably a few thousand miles away was a sun glowing in a beautiful halo of its own light. He wondered if it was actually space. No it couldn't be, that was impossible. Something moving out the corner of his optics caught his attention. Turning against he squinted his optics attempting to see what it was.

It was bipedal was his first assumption and it was glowing in a mist of white around its form. Cocking his head to the side hoping that somehow it would help him figure out what it was. And amazingly it seemed to help but only just. Slowly his optics widened in utter disbelief the fact that it was a mech wasn't it.

"_He looks like me!" _Prime muttered ". . .that's impossible."

The mech's frame from what he could tell from where he was it nearly one hundred percent white but he believed there was blue somewhere on his frame. But the mech did indeed look like the Prime or at least his original Cybertronian mode.

Something flickering just in front of the mech drew Optimus from the mysterious mech. He wasn't sure what it was besides some sort of slowly rotating black mass. In all his years Optimus had never seen such a thing. As if almost cautiously the mech raised his arm and to Optimus Prime's surprise and slight horror the mech stuck his hand right into its center, all the way to his elbow joint and it _didn't _appear out the other side.

'_What in the Pit?' _

After a few suspenseful moments he started pulling his arm back out a glow coming out with it. Optimus watched mystified as the glowing white mech pulled out, what he wasn't quite sure except it glowed brilliantly white almost more brilliantly than the mech holding it. The black mass had long since disappeared. He held the little glowing object tenderly to his chest though he wasn't actually touching it in his light blue hands. He lowered his head so that his bare faceplate was only centimeters from the little glowing orb.

Without warning the white mech looked up as if suddenly sensing something and the only thing that ran through Prime's processor was that he had been caught. And fears worsened as the mech looked directly had him. Optimus felt like he'd just intruded on an private (he knew he had) moment he didn't dare move. Looking closer he was surprised to find that the mech's optics weren't blue but where lustrous ruby red. Against his white frame they seemed almost menacing though they showed no sign that he was hostile from realizing there was an intruder.

Once again Prime was left bewildered as the mech smiled at him as another large black mass akin to black mud in a blender materialized to his back. The Autobot commander could do nothing but drift where he was as the mech nodded, turned, and disappeared in the portal, which disappeared a few moments later.

For a long moment Optimus just floated there body tense processor left dumbstruck not quite sure what just happened. Finally sighing Prime leaned back looking up at space trying to calm himself down. He was trembling while his spark was shuddering in his chest.

What, _indeed_, just happened?

Swiftly the mech's face flashed before him in his 'minds eye' and Prime found him self-musing to himself slowly relaxing as he zoned out.

'_Why did he look so familiar? Was it because he looked so much like me?'_ shaking his helm _'No that's not it. I _should_ know him! Why should I know him. . .where from?' _

Abruptly Prime snapped back up right. "The voice it. . .it's his!"

"_You asked of me a request." _

Startled out of his musing Optimus felt his spark jump again. _'I can't take much more of this'_ Sighing, lowering his hand off his chest plate he glanced around his body sluggish as his frame sparkled from the light that the stars and the near by sun.

He knew who it was almost most by instinct. "I—I did."

There was a moment's pause, which succeeded in making Optimus nervous. _"Then I have instructions for you which you _must _follow. . ."_

And Optimus listened to them intently remembering every word but still the earlier events played in the back of his processor. More importantly he wanted to know how he knew that that mech had been the voice that had plagued him those days ago. It was unsettling.

It failed brilliantly to click with he what the glowing orb was.

000

". . .Optimus? Optimus!?"

Electric blue optics snapped online but quickly offlined and a groan escape the Autobot commander's vocalizer. He didn't dare sit out to fast then again he really didn't want to at the moment. He found it hard to actually wrap his processor around what had just happened.

"Optimus?"

Hesitantly Prime on-lined his optics and slowly sat up straight letting his back lean against the wall behind him. Glancing around he found himself where he last remembered being. In his personal quarters on his berth, the only thing he could guess was that he fallen into recharge, he just didn't remember doing so.

Looking down Optimus finally saw who was calling him. "Blair?"

She was seating now by his right knee joint legs tucked under her a worried concern expression written on her face. Glancing up at the door to his room the glancing back down at her.

"How'd you. . ."

Standing up straightening her shirt out; it was a worried sometimes-nervous habit of hers. "Teletran was trying to contact you but you weren't responding so he sent me to see if you were alright since I was closest. He bypassed the security access to your door so I could get in." she paused moving over while he slide his legs off the berth. "You all right?"

Just as he was about to attempt to calm her worry the sound of the door opening again distracted the both causing them both to look up. Walking in was slight haste in his step was said hacker.

"Primus." He breathed rubbing a red hand down his faceplate. "What the _Pit_ where you doing? You _actually_ worried me there for a moment!"

Teletran was currently in the main mech in charge of security here in the _Ark. _Naturally he took his job serious. If something had really had happened to the Prime he would probably never forgive himself. The hacker most of the time didn't seem like that kind of mech but he was.

That and the two mech's present had been friends for a while. Despite the fact that they both looked out for each other it usually ended up with Teletran looking out for Optimus. It was rare that I was the other way around.

"My apologize Teletran, I'm fine, but. . .I need to go speak with Ratchet."

Cocking his head to the side, "If your fine then _why_ do you need to see Ratchet?"

At first the _Ark_ colored mech received no answer but he watched his superior close not sure what was going on. Prime glanced back at his berth, Teletran could see just in the way that the red and blue mech moved that something had. . .upset him. Maybe that wasn't the right word but it was the first thing he could think that seemed to fit.

The way the Prime walked, even held himself, made him look like he was over energized on high-grade but he knew that wasn't it.

"A new development." He finally stated.

Teletran flickered his optics and bluntly sighed. Going over he held his hand out to Blair who climbed on only to be set on the mech shoulder. That was a first for both of them.

Making sure Blair was secure on his shoulder he walked over to Optimus and put his arm around the larger mech's shoulder, "C'mon I'll escort you. You look like your fixing to trip over your own feet for being over energized or something." He muttered leading the larger mech whom followed without protest

Optimus looked over at the hacker a light smile under his mask. "Thank you, Teletran."

Chuckling, "No problem."

000

Space, it is infinite. It continues, for all we know, forever. We don't know if it has a bottom or a top, nor walls. Space hold's infinite possibilities and secrets, and we'll never know them all. But how can we tell what's actually space and not just an illusion, a trick of light. Simple. We can't. There are both natural and artificial phenomena's that can and have occurred throughout time.

Black hole's for example, rifts, wormholes, twin suns. Plants colliding and forming one large mass if they're lucky, and some of those can be caused both naturally and by someone, or something. Or further more, life. Life, its self on planets are rare phenomena's that are either gifts from the gods or just freak happenings.

How about the creation of a universe? What should we call that?

Oblivion and Roulette, for their age, had seen many 'phenomena's' in their time. Some good some bad. Roulette had seen more than her slightly older brother just because of the, we shall say, _title_ she carried. But that wasn't by choice.

Both had seen and witnessed things in their time that the other might have not gotten a chance to see. But just as much as she envied her brother she felt slight sympathy for him.

Fate was bitter even to fate his self.

Roulette had been musing over this while her and her brother floated where they were now. In real space.

"Boss mech's arrived." Muttered Oblivion

Pail blue and dark blue optics watched quietly as a large muddy black vortex open before them like a door. With in a few moments the vortex was gone and a large mostly white mech was floating before them. Roulette always wondered how her brother could sense doors opening before they actually did.

Roulette floated over to the newcomer and bowed lightly.

"Sir I hope everything went as planned." Roulette stated as her companion joined her at her side

The large white mech nodded his head bright red optics dropping to gaze down at the small glowing cylinder container he held tenderly to his chest. Roulette and Oblivion noticed it instantly and were awestruck.

"It went better than I had expected."

The tall white mech stated voice quiet as he gazed down at his precious little cargo. Within in its cylinder thin rare metal bars held it in place without actually touching the orbs frail core. Protecting if from cold space outside were thin glass panels that seemed completely non-existent even to the one holding it, but they were there. It was pulsing quietly, steadily.

The tall white mech's different shaded blue gazed up at his superior and seeing the light caring smile on his master's faceplate brought a smile to his own face. It wasn't everyday that either Oblivion or Roulette saw a genuine smile on their superior. . .their friends lips.

"This means you're an uncle now, sir."

Beside Oblivion, Roulette chuckled seeing the expression on her superior's faceplate.

Finally coming over his slight stupor he smiled, "I guess so." Gazing back down at cylinder containers and its contents in his large powerful light blue hands.

For a moment nothing was said as he mused over what he just realized but the pleasant atmosphere couldn't last. Sighing and letting an serious expression come back he turned to Oblivion.

"Oblivion."

"Sir?"

Glancing down at the orb in its protective casing before glancing back up at the mech. "You will be the one delivering this."

The blue, white, and silver mech balked back face distorted in something akin to shock.

"Sir I can't do that!" raising his hands up in defense "That's a job that should be carried out by you. You are the sparks uncle after all."

Carefully switching the container to the crock of his arm he reached out and put a light blue hand on Oblivions shoulder a calm smile in his light gray faceplate.

"You're the Angel of Mercy, Oblivion, _you_ delivering this spark to my brother would be a blessing, good luck, and a _very_ good omen. I'd personally would be honored if you did this for me." smiling

Still looking completely unsure with himself and the idea in general it was clearly written on Oblivions light gray faceplate. Roulette moved over and wrapped an arm around her brother's shoulders showing that she knew he could do this. Sighing deeply, nodding his head he leaned forward and carefully took the small container that was offered to him. Staring at it in awe for a moment Oblivion then held it close to his chest feeling the warm little spark flutter felling his own spark so close.

Comforted and giving comfort.

Taking in a deep intake of cool space Oblivion turned and lifted his hand up. Cutting the power to his optics he concentrated for a moment before they flashed back on foggy white arm glowing with odd symbols running up it. Just a little over an arms length in front of the blue and white mech was another milking vortex waiting.

Looking over his shoulder, "I will not fail you, sir."

Nodding his head, "I know you wont Oblivion. God speed and good luck."

"Good luck, bro!"

Nodding with a smile on his face Oblivion tightened his grip around the container before he disappeared through the vortex. A few moments later the two left behind disappeared through their own portal leaving true space once again empty and silent.

000

A/N:

Lot more satisfied with this chapter than I thought I would be. Still didn't come out like I really hoped it would. I think its good for now though. No, the white mech isn't Ultra Magnus, Revoltech or other wise, btw. Close. And yes I know 'sound' can't be made in space but if George Lucas can get away with it in Star Wars, I think there's nothing wrong with it in a fanfic.

_Please_ review; constructive crit. welcomed.

To MyBlueOblivion whom this fic. is kindly created and dedicated for. Thanks bro!

TF's and all related char(s) belong to Has/Tak and associated co.

Except for Teletran, Blair, Oblivion, Roulette, and the plot, which are mine

Names and/of char(s) are entirely coincidental


	11. Chapter 10

"_Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality." –_Nikos Kazantzakis (1885-1957)

Ch 10

000

Everything appeared to be calm and in truth nearly everything within the _Ark_ was. Autobot's that had night shifts where all present at their designated areas whether it be partol, guard, or monitoring duty most where in recharge. The massive Autobot exploration ship was quiet like a dragon that would and always would remain dormant in its volcano.

_All_ was not calm though.

Leaning against the wall closes to the doorframe of the medical-bays entrance Teletran had his arms crossed over his chest with a serious almost scowl on his faceplate. He wasn't upset about anything, nothing had recently slagged him off, no nothing like that but he was deeply concerned he just didn't show it like normal mech's.

And he was by far _not_ normal.

As a mech whom liked to figure out stuff and always wanted to be able to do something when the time came of emergency came about, Teletran knew basic first aid skills. Matter a fact back before he'd joined the Autobot's and his friendship with Wheeljack was still in its infancy he'd been challenged by some 'friends' that he couldn't pass class B medical training.

It was more complicated than the basics that every solider in war times should know, but not worthy of Ratchet's lightest of praise. He'd passed with beyond flying colors and even learned all the parts of the Cybertronian autonomy plus some. Well the basic autonomy anyway because all Cybertronian are different and not just on the outside. But every Cybertronian started out the same anyway even if you were a flyer or a grounder.

Despite his 'vast knowledge' it didn't mean that Teletran was medically qualified, far from it. Yeah on some rare occasions he'd done quick battle wound repairs on mech's but he'd never had his self elbows deep in a mech who was almost dead.

Luckily that wasn't the situation any of them where in. That didn't mean it was any less serious.

Ratchet and Wheeljack both where in their 'zone' of work and no one dared interrupt, especially under the current circumstances. Optimus worryingly still laid on one of the medical berths, his vitals being monitored not only by the machines hooked up to him but by the Lancia and CMO, also.

Prowl was nowhere to be seen but Teletran could sense his spark somewhere near by, the hackers intent on what was going on inside the med-bay prevented him from homing in on the illusive Datsun. Seating on the other side of the door on a one of the many benches the lined the wall on this side of the med-bay was Jazz. He had his back pressed against the wall arms crossed lightly over his chest while he had one leg crossed over his other knee. By far the atmosphere between the hacker and saboteur was different but it was clear Jazz was keeping his cool, as always, laid back. Teletran was to, he just portrayed it in another manner.

Seating just beside Jazz was Blair legs crossed waiting patiently but the worry on her face was there clearly displayed.

It had taken a good while but the procedure, though tedious, it had been done, quickly but with only precision that Ratchet possessed. The chamber was hooked up and ready in Prime's torso.

000

_This place, he didn't know where it was or what it was only that it was beautiful. He was seating on top on some sort of structure in the middle of a vast pastel green prairie. The sky above where mixed together fluently with pastel colors that reminded him of a oil painting. In the distance he saw a massive city though it looked small from the distance he was from it but he was sure it was huge._

_There was actually a cool breeze and it felt wonderful against his frame._

_Despite it all he felt utterly alone and the fact that he was indeed alone made the feeling hurt more. Pulling a leg up to his chest Optimus gazed out over the vast prairie lost in his thoughts. Deep within his own processor Optimus mused to himself quietly about every thing that had lead up to the now. Somehow his processor was still on that white mech he'd seen. All those days trying to figure out whom that voice had been plaguing him and who'd it belonged to where answered._

_Yet he still didn't know that mech's name!_

_"Beautiful isn't."_

_Letting out a gasp Prime caught himself before he fell forward and at the height he was to the ground on the massive flat top obelisks it surely would kill him. Snapping his upper torso around he looked up. Bringing his arm up to shield his optics from the glaring sun he saw a tall mech however not as tall as himself._

_Getting to his feet Optimus took a few steps away a little unnerved by the mech's sudden appearance. How'd he get up here? No, the question was how did he himself get up here? Stopping in the middle of his thoughts he realized the mech was chuckling his electric blue optics looking at the Autobot commander._

_"For someone whom has so much knowledge you don't know a whole lot do you?" the mech, various shades of blue albeit mostly light blue stated, a wide grin on his pale faceplate._

_Behind his mask Optimus frowned, "What is that suppose to mean?"_

_Grasping his hands behind his back lightly still grinning. "You want to know how you got up here, yes?" he asked_

_Cocking his head to the side for some reason Optimus got the urge to glance around, which he did before his gaze fail back on the oddly constructed mech. Who was he? He wasn't as 'squared' as most Cybertronians, he had more curved edges. Was he even Cybertronian?_

_"Yes I would."_

_Optimus cocked his head back suddenly as the light blue mech stepped forward invading the Autobot commander's personal space._

_Tapping one of Prime's glass chest panels. "You're dreaming lugnut." He said matterafactly amusement evident in his vocals. Stepping back. "Quite deeply if I might add but I guess I'm partly to blame for that, see."_

000

Vocal indicators flickering as he murmured to himself Wheeljack looked up and over at the monitors just beside him. Almost be instinct the engineer knew what the beeping and read-out meant. Turning back around he looked over at Ratchet who appeared to not even have looked up from his work.

Narrowing his optics ridge. "Ratchet?"

The medic kept working still not looking up from his work. "Don't worry about it."

". . .Sure?" frowning behind his mask

Ratchet pulled his hand out of Prime's torso, he'd check and double-checked Optimus' insides several times already. He was anxious and unsure of himself. Nervous habit. Dropping the tool he'd been using on the tray to his right his commanders internal fluids and lubricants dripping from his red digits he looked up over at his commanders faceplate.

His chest still hurt from where he'd been scared out of his wits when Teletran had come in guiding Optimus into the med-bay. He'd suddenly let out a painful sounding groan and would have collapsed to the floor if Teletran hadn't been there to catch the falling mech. For what ever reason their commander had suddenly went off-line and into a deep stasis.

Looking into Optimus' dark optics Ratchet knew that his commander really was in comatose. Why? If only the CMO knew. He'd woken up a few moments later and gave pacific instructions to the medic before going _oddly_ back into stasis. All of it had unnerved the medic to no end but he did as he was instructed without question. His commander, his friend needed him after all. Somewhere deep down Ratchet knew that this. . .this was it.

000

_"What?!" Prime blurted dumbly before he could catch himself succeeding in getting a laugh out of this strange mech_

_Turning so his side was facing the Autobot the light blue mech held out his arms. "Like I said, ya don't know much."_

_Optimus' felt his self-bristle at the mech's comment; insulted. Quickly catching himself he took a step back and rubbed his hand over his faceplate trying to regain his lost poseur._

_"Who are you exactly?" He asked turning back to the blue mech arms crossed over his broad chest plate. "More importantly if I'm dreaming how are you in it, unless you're a figment of my processor."_

_Grasping his hand back behind his back like before. The light blue mech, to Prime's surprise, sat down and patted the spot beside him. An obvious invite for the 'bot to take a seat beside him which he obliged a few moments later._

_As Prime finally got seated he held out a white hand to the red and blue mech. "Names Oblivion."_

_Just as he was about to take the white offered hand Optimus Prime faltered snapping his head up to look into the mech's electric blue optics. Designation, Oblivion, busted out laughing seeing the look on Prime's faceplate moving his arm over to grasp the blue hand._

_"Don't worry nothing bad is going to happen. Quite the opposite actually."_

_Slightly embarrassed at his self. "Sorry, just a very. . .odd name." taking back his hand after shaking the mech's hand._

_Chuckling, "Yeah I get that a lot. Long story that I won't bore you with."_

_Nodding his head Optimus looked back out over the pastel green land processor turning._

_"Oh yeah."_

_Seating back arms behind his back Oblivion looked up at the sky as Optimus looked back over at him with a raised optic ridge. No matter how hard he tried Optimus couldn't quite figure out what his vehicle mode was though it did seem based off an Earth vehicle, none he knew of. He almost seemed futuristic even if it seemed unlikely it might just be a possibility._

_Could he be from the future?_

_"As for your question," Oblivion began leaning back his arms holding him up. "No I'm not a figment of your imagination; I'm quite real I assure you. But I'm here because I have a task to complete."_

_Prime watched the light blue mech's electric blue optics flicker once before he looked over at the Autobot's own aqua blue optics. Optimus briefly thought to himself that was probably the most the mech had said that actually made since or maybe he really didn't 'know a lot' like the mech had said. Sadly he could believe that at the moment._

_"Task?"_

_Grinning, "Yeah! Really you're not dreaming yet you are at the same time. The Matrix is a funny thing, see." Waving a digit around_

_"What?!" cocking his head back in surprise "This is the Matrix?!"_

_Again Oblivion laughed and leaned over patting Primes back roughly. "It's a different part of the Matrix than your use to but you don't need to worry about that. You need to worry about this." Patting Primes chest._

_Flickering his optics Optimus looked down at where the mech had patted his chest as if just now discovering it. Looking back up Optimus watched the mech lean back a calm expression on his faceplate. For some reason he had the urge to put his hand to his chest and did so._

_"I was sent here by my superior whose superior. . ." he began but quickly seemed not sure of his own words. "I'm the Angle of Mercy you can basically say by giving you what you requested you automatically have my blessing."_

_Behind his gray mask Optimus mouth was slightly ajar but out of confusion and realization. He watched in awed silence as the blue mech held out his hand that slowly started glowing white as white odd jagged bands ran down his arms. If it wasn't for the fact that he was so focused on the mech's presented hand he probably would have noticed the mech's optics changing._

_What appeared in the mech's hand left the Prime dumbfounded._

000

For the most part the room was devoid of noise the only sound that kept the med-bay from being utterly silent as a grave was the machines working and monitoring their leaders condition.

It had been a good suspenseful, tense hour and half since Teletran had called Ratchet.

The CMO currently had his optics focused on the two monitors in front of him occasionally looking over to the still form of Optimus Prime. He'd been like that for a while now, unresponsive and still. From Ratchet's experience with war and as a Chief Medical Officer; when a Cybertronian was like that it usually wasn't a good sign by any means.

From the medics haste to get to Optimus and make sure he was all right they'd set up admittedly in the main part of the med-bay. He was completely grateful none of the other Autobot's were present from some slag headed stunt, or something akin to it, beside the ones that where apart of this.

Ratchet had all intentions of respecting his friend's wishes.

Now though with sheer caution they'd moved Optimus to one of the few back rooms, though smaller than the med-bay it worked perfectly for privacy. No one could enter without proper security codes, which only the senior staff possessed, and one or two of the few privileged mech's. After setting up all the monitors Ratchet had gotten Teletran to re-due the security code and monitor the rooms and medical bay.

So intent on his concentration the old medic didn't even jump or flinch when the doors to the private room slide open. He knew that Wheeljack was due back about now anyway. Heaving out a sigh Ratchet looked up rubbing a red hand over his faceplate as he glanced over to the other side of the room.

For the first time that night, minus a brief appearance at the beginning of this, Prowl stood quietly leaning against the wall, head inclined, and optics offline. Now though Teletran was nowhere to be found though it probably would be easy to find him. Ratchet could tell easily that the tactician wasn't in recharge though. He'd been keeping a silent vigil for a while now of the three mech's and human for a while now. Seating just beside him Jazz was seating slouched in his seat head at some point fallen against the other black and whites hip plate sometime ago. Head on the Porches lap was Blair who was also deep asleep.

Ratchet check the time as Wheeljack handed him a small warm cube on energon. "Here." The medic liked cool energon for the most part but on long shifts or is situations like this he preferred it hot laced with a tad of platinum mid-grade(1. It kept him awake. "Thanks Wheeljack." Taking a good gulp of the stuff

"Any changes?" the engineer asked quietly taking a seat just behind to the side of the ambulance

Liking the tingle as the energon went down his gullet(2. "Not really." Glancing over at Prowl who now had his head up and—normally pale, blue optics online "A few spark fluctuations but nothing really worth mentioning." He finished taking another gulp from his energon cube

Ratchet almost admittedly eat his words at the spark monitor started screaming scaring all of them.

000

_"This. . .how?"_

_Optimus hesitantly like he was being forced to put his hand to a flame that could surely melt his blue hand brought the appendage up it shaking. Seating just in front of him, Oblivion couldn't help but smile slightly seeing the look on the others optics. At first he'd been hesitant to carry out this task for his lord but now he remembered why he like his job so much._

_Seeing the look just like the one of the Prime's faceplate now._

_"Remember earlier, that white mech?" a light nod told him his answer "Well I'm here to deliver it to you. But there's one last step you have to take Optimus before this spark is truly yours."_

_Blue optics broke away from the fragile looking glass canister to Oblivions light blue ones, with confusion and almost slight worry. "What do I have to do?"_

_Inclining his head to the side a little. "I need pieces of your spark to implant in this one. Since you've already gotten your medic to implant copies in the protoform that step is taken care of."_

_Cocking his head back Optimus put his hand to his chest. Somehow he knew, just knew that would be part of what he needed to do. How, he wasn't sure. If Oblivion took out pieces of his own spark, his self, the never before used spark that he'd requested from the Matrix and implanted them the small spark would truly be his. It was said that if a spark, after it dies returns to the Matrix but if one was luckily it could be reincarnated, as some called it, into a new life._

_Optimus Prime didn't want that though. It may sounded selfish but if the Matrix did do that he risked his creation suffering memories from its past. It was a rare thing for the Matrix to do but it was possible. Only he, and a small hand full of others knew that, that was a fact._

_"How?"_

_Oblivion leaned forward with his free hand till it was just centimeters in front on Optimus Prime's chest plate. With a look that said 'May I?' without actually uttering a word, getting permission Oblivion's right hand started glowing blue and abruptly plunged into the red and blue mech's chest._

_Optimus hadn't suspected it and gasped more startled than in pain. Actually it really didn't hurt though it was extremely uncomfortable. That was until he felt his spark squeeze tightly and he gasped processor screaming._

000

Dropping his cube back in his chair not caring whether it would spill or not, Ratchet shoot out of his seat admittedly getting to into action, as did Wheeljack. On the others side of the room Jazz gave out a startled gasp visor flashing; the only thing keeping him from jumping to his feet was a white hand on his shoulder.

Blair too let out a startled cry rolling, or more like falling off of the pale gray metal thigh she'd been sleeping on hitting her head on the bench underneath her. Snapping out of his surprise Jazz reached down making sure she was alright and with a 'yeah I'm good' their attention went over to two other mech's working and the one on the medical berth.

Lying on the table shifting an in-pain groan coming from somewhere deep in his chest. Optimus seemed to be in pain though the readings told the present medic nothing was wrong besides a suddenly elevated spark rate.

The large mech was shifting on the medical berth like someone whom was suffering from a nightmare one knee joint bent. Ratchet was running vigorous scans and every time coming out with nothing.

Grunting and cruising under his 'breath' displeased with the results he was getting. "Wheeljack give him a sedative!" trailing off till his voice was just a whisper talking more to himself than the engineer. "Why? If only I knew fraggit."

Nothing even giving the other mech a nod or word that he'd actually heard the medic Wheeljack hurried around the berth to the supply cabinet. "What's causing this though, Ratchet?!" glancing over his shoulder

Clenching his dental plates making his hinges to his jaw ache Ratchet turned his head away masking it as he was turning to look at the monitoring screens. He didn't know the answer to the question although he desperately wanted too. It was infuriating.

"It's the Matrix."

Three sets of blue optics of various shades glanced over at the Datsun and a set of light brown eyes that clearly showed worry and concern. The CMO frowned deeply wondering why he didn't come up with a similar conclusion. It made sense and probably was the reason for the Prime's sudden discomfort. But why couldn't he do something about it? He was a medic for Primus sake! A doctor, he was suppose to stop pain, a healer, yet he was completely useless.

Successfully injecting the sedative into one of Optimus Prime's lines Wheeljack leaned back looking up and over at Ratchet. He could see it in the medics pale blue optics that he was frustrated about the situation, not being able to do anything.

000

_Pain is a really mysterious thing when you think about it yet at the same time there really isn't much you need to know about it. Sometimes it takes the processor or brain a few moments to really register that the body is injured. Then there are other times where the brain or processor acts out so fast sending signals to he mind it's un-comprehendible._

_Some people can go through a long time knowing pain they learn to live with it and don't understand what it feels like when pain is no longer there. While others never know what pain is really like._

_The thing is though Optimus knew what pain was like both mental and physical, he'd lived with it, he knew what it was like, and loathed it. Yet now as he tried to catch himself with shaking arms he never knew that one could be in pain yet at the same time it wasn't pain, but something else._

_He didn't remember blacking out; well now that he looked back it was more of a white out. He didn't dwell on it much. Watching the best he could throw unfocused optics Optimus watched as the blue mech who had just stuck his hand in his chest without even opening his chest panels inserted little glowing shards or. . .'my very essence' into the smaller spark held within his palm._

_It was such a beautiful site._

_"You. . .you could have warned me, ya know." Seating up the best he could_

_"Sorry." Giving the Prime a sheepish smile "Not every day I do this ya know. The Well(3 doesn't pop out sparks just like that, see."_

_Hesitation in his movements Optimus sat back up straight trying to regain his poseur despite the throbbing inside his chest. He didn't want to stand anytime soon because he knew he'd probably tip straight over. Focus returning to his processor and optics a little more now did he really grasp what the strange mech had done to him._

_Oblivion's optics where glowing as the small spark now seating in his hand glowed more brightly and seemed to be shuddering in the light gray hand._

_"Ready?"_

"Ratchet!"

Wheeljack yelled something akin to fear, vocal indicators flashing madly, jumping into his processor as the now still Autobot commanders chest plate started glowing from its seems. Ratchet had been watching with an open mouth processor not comprehending what was going on. On the other side of the room, Jazz now standing with Blair on his shoulder, the two mech's and human watched on gapping too.

Ratchet went around the side of the berth only to jump back as something let out a hiss then Prime's chest plates unlocking themselves.

_"Yes. . .yes I am."_

_The little spark in the palm it was resting in seemed to sense what was going on now flickering as if with anticipation._

_"Then it's yours."_

As Ratchet helped the red and plexiglass panels open more the glow seemed to stay the same until the gray guard covering the relic within their Prime's chest lifted up. The CMO and engineer had seen the Matrix before, a rare privilege for mech's like themselves. Nevertheless they had only seen it a small handful in the past, and its mysteries.

It was as if the Matrix had come alive.

_Like before Optimus didn't even have to open his chest, the different shaded blue mech just stuck his hand right through his chest, spark too. This time though it didn't hurt. On the contrary it was amazing. For a fleeting moment it reminded him of the night when him and Elita-1 had finally become one, become sparkmates. It felt absolutely beautiful._

000

_Platinum mid-grade: something I came up with, something close to high-grade but not quite._

_Gullet: sub for '_throat_'_

_Well: nickname I designated for the Allspark, or 'Well of Sparks.' What have you._

A/N:

Nine and half freaking pages! That's a lot for me. Wanted to add some more to this toward the end but I started running on empty so I left it as it was. I don't know how many more chapters this story will be but not many, with a possible epilogue. Oh and listen to 'With Arms Wide Open' by Creed while reading this chapter and probably the next chapter too. It fits perfectly.

Please review; constructive crit. welcomed.

This is kindly created and dedicated to MyBlueOblivion.

TF's and all related char(s) belong to Has/Tak and associated co.

Except for Teletran, Blair, Oblivion, and the plot, which are mine

Names and/of char(s) are entirely coincidental


	12. Chapter 11

_"The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for the more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. And that's what you've given me. That's what I'd hoped to give you forever."_ - "The Notebook" Excert from a letter from Noah to Allie

000

Silence; that's happens when you're def or sound is being blocked so you're not able to hear anything that's going on around you. It can be terrifying sometimes or welcomed.

Black, true _pitch_ black is something you can only get in a cave or in a closed room with no windows or lights. That also can be terrifying yet also welcomed.

Numbness though could happen from the result of a lot of things and for a lot of reasons. Being numb can occasionally be comforting when you're always hurting whether inside or outside. External or internal. For the larger percentage, being numb usually isn't considered a good sign. It usually meant something was wrong.

As was being blind and def, thing was, all could provide, at some point or time, comfort.

Being blind, seeing nothing but darkness continuously, to something can be defined in many ways. Sometimes it's out of mind like the old saying went 'out of site, out of mind.' Or being blind could mean exactly what it's real definition meant: Not being able to see. It meant you couldn't see the truth or what was false.

Being def can mean more than you're not able to hear; it could mean your def to what is the truth whether good or bad. Whether though shear stubbornness or weakness, depending on how you define the weakness.

Being numb can block out the pain the backside is that it can block out the good also.

Right now though it was like listening to terrible white noise.

The last thing he could remember, even if hazy, before blacking out was a pair of electric blue optics. Then he realized his audios were ringing to a point it was almost painful. Very slowly feeling was coming back to his body and as it did the feeling of heaviness swept over him like something was seating heavily on his chest. While at the same time he felt empty, utterly _empty_. He found that he didn't like it. _'Something is missing'_.

If his processor were in the right place he would have realized sooner rather than later that something was, indeed, missing.

His vision was almost coming back albeit _painfully_ slow. Static filled read outs were scrolling across his H.U.D. as was the ceiling; gray and completely discomforting. After some time the fog in his head and static in his vision started clearing while his audios were also readjusting themselves.

He didn't know how much time did pass, as he lay there unmoving afraid the slightest movement would send pain rushing through his tender frame. Then he sensed someone, a presence beside him that felt familiar.

"_Optimus?"_

The voice was so very welcomed despite the ache he already had throbbing in his head. Slowly his audios were adjusting as it started as if he had something muffling his sound trying to get his audios. Slowly as if hesitantly it was being returned to him.

What happened he wounded then it came back to him casually. That explained some of why his body hurt so much. He'd never been hurt while present in the Matrix, if that was where he had been, that is. It wasn't an experience he wanted to go through again.

"You sure he's online?"

"He is okay, right?"

"Yes, he's fine." There was a moment's pause. "Let's just give him a few more clicks."

Those voices were so familiar it made him glad to hear them again so very much. Glad that he knew those voices and whom they belonged to. Again he attempted to online his optics and with success this time. Then he realized as he stared up at the ceiling though fuzzy optics something, or really _felt_ something. It wasn't the light discomfort he was in, no, it was something else.

"Optimus?"

Thought's momentarily lost he flickered his optics slowly letting his optical sensors adjust he turned his head to his left finding a pare of pale blue optics looking down at him. It was Ratchet a rare truly concerned expression on his light gray faceplate. The looked was so foreign on the medics usually scowling irritable face. Optimus mentally kicked himself realizing he'd made his friends worry about him.

"Ratchet?" a fait relieved smile crossed the CMO's faceplate

Nodding his head, "How do you feel, sir?"

His answered didn't come admittedly as Optimus' blue optics turned just past the medic finding Wheeljack and Teletran, standing. Teletran looked irritated but Optimus knew he was received too. He turned his blue helm gazing down his right side finding Jazz holding Blair in his left arm while Prowl stood just behind him.

"There's a light ache throughout my body but. . ." he trailed off

He could feel the medical berth he was starting to move from his lower back up, as it slowly propped him up. Ratchet didn't allow it to go to far up though.

"But what?" he asked

"I. . .I feel heavy? That's the closes I can. . .describe it as."

Optimus watched as Jazz carefully lowered his arm so Blair could step down onto his berth side. Mindful that she didn't have much room she turned and sat down hanging one leg off the side. The incapacitated Autobot commander felt her small slender human digits seek out his—compared to his own—larger and thicker blue digits. Warily he turned his hand palm down and let her slide her hand in his and lightly closed his own around hers.

To his left Optimus watched Ratchet turn slightly giving him a view of what laid behind him. Seating behind him, Optimus, easily could tell what it was, it was the monitor hooked straight to his main systems monitoring, mainly, his spark. Something was off though for some reason.

It was beeping oddly like an misplaced echo and then, like that, it all clicked with him.

"Your plans, they worked, Optimus." Ratchet said locking optics with his leader as he looked back up at him.

Memories rushed back into his processor things he remember being told about the likely side effects. "How. . .how long have I been in stasis?"

Ratchet spared a glance at Wheeljack, "Nearly three days."

Behind his mask Optimus frowned, why he wasn't sure. Just to Ratchet's left Wheeljack took a step forward putting a hand on Optimus' berth. "The transition was, as we predicted, took its toll on you."

"We were actually surprised you came out of the deep stasis lock you where in this soon, Optimus'." Ratchet finished

"I was in. . ."

Teletran grunted sending a glare at Optimus, "Yes you _where_." He said sharply "Scared the frag out me, too."

"I'm sorry." He said his voice telling his guilt that he did.

Slowly he looked down at his hands as he placed them on his grill. He didn't remember much, whether he should tell them, he didn't know but he'd wait a little longer. Going back the last thing he remembered clearly was talking with Teletran and Blair was they walked down the hall to the med-bay. The halls where quiet like they normally where at such late hours.

Now that he thought about it, it was amazing how something so 'dramatic' could be happening and yet everything else just continued on, no knowing a single thing. To them nothing was happening at all just life as it always was.

Ratchet leaned back staring down at the red and blue mech on the medical berth studying him like the doctor he was. Frowning he looked over to Jazz who, sensing a pair of optics on him, looked up and seeing the message the gave nodded his head in silent understanding.

Quietly, from his berth Optimus watched them leave saying their quiet good-byes and to get as much rest as he needed. He watched was Jazz lowered his hand so Blair could sit down on it, said her good-bye, and left with the Porsche. Rest. That sounded oddly appealing, odd because apparently he'd been in a stasis for nearly three days now.

Ratchet had walked off with the others muttering quietly to them, Optimus didn't listen, carefully he leaned back, optics offline. His processor was in a fog; his body aching was getting to him now every movement was painful. Not like the pain after coming back from battle but like he'd been training for hours with no rest. _'It had worked.' _

He let a hand slide down to his lower torso feeling along the rim of temporary 'door' Wheeljack and Ratchet had made. It was odd; slowly things seemed to silencing around him except for the monitor and its double pulsing. Concentrating on the sound he searched for the right pulse that matched his spark isolating from the other yet focusing on the other at the same time. Finally, isolating everything away, he could hear it like standing in a empty silent room with a grandfather clock as your only company. Breifly he thought, he'd want to stay in the quiet room forever if it meant this feeling he had lasted. Brought him this comfort. This. . .satisfaction.

Mindful of how loud his footsteps where Ratchet walked back to Optimus' berth side watching the large mech who had on hand on his abdomen. It hadn't snuck in with the large mech yet what was happening. Briefly Ratchet wondered if they'd done the right thing. Could he'd found another way other than the one they'd done? Was there another scenario that could have worked? Could have been. . .safer?

Spark synchronization was delicate dealing not mention how so rare of a procedure it was. . .how dangerous it was. This could rightfully kill the mech on the berth but he dearly hopped that didn't happen.

"Optimus?"

Blue optics snapped online. Optimus turned his head looking down over at the boxy medic saying nothing.

"It would be best if try to go back in recharge to conserve energy and to keep your spark rate at a normal rate." Walking up to his commander side

At first he thought Optimus wasn't going to reply but looking into those aqua blue optics he knew somehow that there was a sentence waiting.

"Thank you, Ratchet. For helping me with this."

"Any time, sir."

000

They say time is just an illusion something you can't see and can never really fathom despite it being _everything_. Things die while at the same time things are re-born or replaced. The sun will always continue to set and rise while the moon will, also, rise and set. Time waits for no one, man or machine.

They say that time is just an illusion something you can't see, well _some_ would say other wise. Oblivion gazed out over the Earth that was drifting in his line of vision, he knew what _time_ was like, and he had witnessed it courteous of a dear friend. The hands of time speeding by so fast they should have been meer seconds on a stop-watch rather than days, weeks, months, years. . ._millennia's _even.

By the grace of a dear friend he'd watched as an civilization rise from the earth, grow and become a empire and had watched it crumble to the ground back to where it had been born from although now it was staid red. Roulette had been at his side the whole time witnessing it, both wanting to do something, anything as they watched helplessly but bound by The Laws they couldn't do anything.

That was one of the greatest curses of having power like 'they' did. You had to provide by The Laws or pay the consequences.

The star in the distance just coming up behind the planet suddenly glared into his optics sending the relays and sensors behind his glass eyes near overload. It too was so young. Oblivion frowned anyway turning on his heel to head back into their ship.

He stopped while seeing a familiar figure standing near the doors; saw the expression on her faceplate. A quite alien expression for her. "Roul'?"

"What?"

"What is it?" walking toward her, shadow stretching out in front of him eerily. "That expression is never a good thing." Looking into her currently dark blue optics

"I don't like it."

Oblivion frowned again, knowing exactly what she was referring to. Their lord had recently notified them of news so he called it. Neither of them liked it.

"_I can't believe he did that!"_ she barked stomping her foot quite suddenly

On some other occasion Oblivion would have been startled of the sudden attitude his sister showed, but he wasn't and actually quite suspected it. It wasn't every day that either of them really got mad to a point they lashed out, like she'd just done. Oblivion stepped forward and tenderly took on of his sister's hands in his own.

He looked down at her hands and said gently, "He did it for his brother, Roul' you should understand that. I'd do something like that for you."

"You better not!" He _was_ startled that time. "_Frag_ the laws of equivalent exchange! You never ever give your life for me! If I die, I die, I don't want you to suffer for some _stupid_ mistake I'll probably make and or the cause of!" she yelled into his face.

Optics wide, Oblivion had taken a step back completely caught off guard by his sister's onslaught of anger, of her words. In all their years together he couldn't recall a moment quite like this one. The liquid coolant tears drifting into space from her optics told him volumes nonetheless. As the red, black, and gold femme's anger seemed to dissipate Oblivion's faceplate's soften back to norm.

She'd turned around and he stepped forward wrapping his around her comforting her, "You'd do it for me, I know you would."

She didn't say anything to it but she did nod after a moment. "But he's our commander, our lord, he's done so much for our home, how. . ._how_ could he did that?"

"Remember what Time said? Without death there can't be life."

"Without sacrifice of life other's can't be born." Roulette whispered to him glancing over her shoulder at her brother

"Yes." Rubbing tears away from her optics "What he's done, is an act of selfishness few would even consider doing."

Slowly Roulette turned around in her brother's arms, "But. . .I'm a idiot!" shaking her head "I'm being a idiot! _Selfish idiot_!"

Chuckling Oblivion put his hands on either side of his sister head so she'd look up at him, "Don't worry about it Roul' its understandable." Lowering his hands. "I don't like it either but there's nothing we can do about it, we have to respect what he's done."

Roulette nodded her head crossing her arms over her chest, "I'll deal with it, but that doesn't mean I'll like it." Oblivion just chuckled as the two turned back and watched as the Earth moved revealing the Sun.

000

A/N:

Sorry, terrably belated. They don't call me a procrastinator for nothing. Though not a chapter I'm fond of I think it came out decently enough and it's really short! I wanted it to be longer but for some reason the ending –that I wanted- didn't cooperate. There will be an epilogue if nothing else.

Please review; constructive crit. welcomed.

Much thanks for Myblueoblivion for his support in this. This is for you bro.

TF's and all related char(s) belong to Has/Tak and associated co.

Except for Blair, Roulette, Oblivion, Teletran, and the plot, which are mine

Names and/of char(s) are entirely coincidental


	13. epilogue

"_Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?_

_Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind;_

_Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm,_

_Er faßt ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm."_

_- Erlkönig (1782) by; von Johann Wolfgang von Goethe_

000

The _Ark_ was like a small community out in the middle of nowhere, where everyone knew someone else, where that someone knew you and it could be quite annoying. Where you just seemed to be that one neighbor who had the one noisy neighbor that you'd catch peaking out their window curtains every so often at what you where doing. Whether you were leaving or coming or just doing some simple yard work. The _Ar_k had its own little secrets too but unlike most towns, usually lacking in the 'exciting' department for the most part the _Ark_ was completely opposite of that.

Some would say 'quiet' moments where far and few between and when it was quiet something was up and you just knew this.

But that's not what I'm getting at here.

The _Ark_, a considerably massive ship that was designed to house a large crew for a long period of time, sometimes it could seem very, very small at times. And when it came down to it, well, secrets couldn't be kept for very long like that little community with _nosy_ neighbors. Where people got together on Sunday (usually women for some reason it seemed) afternoons and shared gossip since that seemed to be the only interesting thing to do.

The faint smile on her face intrigued him and naturally Prowl couldn't help but wonder what his current charge was thinking. He said nothing though choosing to remain silent and continuing with his work. Letting out a quiet sigh Blair rolled over onto her stomach putting her chin on her arms and took to watching Prowl scribble something a data-pad.

"Prowl."

The Datsun's engine rumbled faintly in an 'hmm' fashion. Knowing what that sound meant Blair knew she should continue.

"Some of the guys are growing suspicious about Optimus being M.I.A."

Pausing, Prowl spared a glance over at his charge for a moment before glancing over at his monitor then turned his attention back to the data-pad.

". . .Can't blame them." She added

Prowl narrowed his optics knowing she was right about that, no denying that simple but obvious fact. Their leader, when at the _Ark_, often stayed in his office working or in the bridge but still then they saw him, often speaking with him. They knew where he was even if he wasn't as 'social' as some would call it.

The mech's that were currently in charge of their leader's project; the _Artificer Project_ had sworn that no information would get out. It would be Optimus Prime himself who would inform the rest of the crew. Despite them knowing that them knowing that sometimes 'bots went on classified missions, they also knew something was up. It was just a matter of time.

"Ratchet has informed me," Prowl began "It shouldn't be much longer for the synchronization to be complete."

Humming within her chest Blair sat up straight and took one of the styluses that was lying not to far from where she'd been lying. The pen could fit snugly in Prowl's white hands but for her the thing was nearly half as tall she was. Surprisingly the thing was very light though still heavy enough she strained to pick it up.

Having gathered Prowl's attention he let his engine rumble in his chest. "You're not going to take that one apart too, are you?"

Chuckling to her self, Blair couldn't help but to smile as she walked over to an off-line digi-pad and used her foot to turn it on since her hands where full. "No, not this time." Tone amused

Blair could still remember that particular incident well, Prowl had left his office for a moment leaving the young women unoccupied. That hadn't been long since the two sisters had gotten to meet some of the Autobot's around the base. Giant sentient alien robots possessing what were essentially 'pens' fascinated Blair to no end and being a mechanic she was curious to see how one worked.

When Prowl had returned sometime later Blair was seated cross legged on his desk top, where he left her, pieces of the stylus lying around her. The expression on Prowl's face made her laugh since the look of dumbfoundment had seemed just out of character on his light colored faceplate. Stylus' had very interesting insides even if rather simple.

"I appreciate that." He stated continuing with his work once again.

000

No one really knows what it actually feels like when one first meets the world. Some Cybertronians are built in bodies that are capable of full function as soon as their systems fully online, the fact is; some are not. It's not a common thing these days, it hasn't been for a good several millenia for Cybertronain's because of the war. Their known commonly as 'sparkling's', small mechanisms who, by the wish of their creators or _creator_, to, simply put, 'grow' till their mature adults. The real reason why Cybertronian's wished this long and tedious method, it has often been said because the mech or femme admired the way organics raised their young, how they were able to become closer to their young, to really get to cherish their creations, it brought a whole different level of understanding between the two. But the real, original reason has been lost in time. That fact is only partially true in some regards.

Despite not grasping what was happening to him, what was happening was his systems were slowly on-lining in their own proper sequences. It was slow at first, a safeguard mechanism to help prevent his systems from going into shock, which would likely kill him. But it went just fast enough so the energies rushing through him could get to his life source in time so it wouldn't fizzle out and, which also could kill him. All this and more was a high possibility that could happen, and for one to not even see the world yet would be tragic.

Though he'd never remember these feelings, these thought's, he wondered briefly what were these strange sensations going through his being. It was odd and a little frightening with the feeling of weight he felt where none had been before. He'd been - something similar in sensation - drifting for so long this feeling was alien and he didn't like it. What felt like ages more and more impulses and sensations shows themselves. His back was touching something, something warm, but while comforting and soft it somehow didn't feel right, like their should be something else there behind him that wasn't. Lastly, he could here something, odd noises he'd never heard before. They were faint but no less noisy. He didn't like them. Why where they there? Why wouldn't they just go away? Then he felt something. Something that was normally their wasn't.

000

For the most part the room was dark only a couple light's where switched on as Ratchet worked silently in front of one of his large monitors in the room. Lying off-line, like he had been for the past near week equipment attached to him, the majority of it to his abdomen, Optimus still laid. For a while he laid their, silent, still, prone, not really focusing in on the sound that was reaching his audios. He was really beginning to dislike coming on-line disoriented and slightly nauseated. It was an uncomfortable feeling that he wasn't use to and one he wasn't sure he was capable to get use to.

What finally did make him really allow himself to become aware to his surroundings was a strange if not a little frighting feeling. Emptiness and something else.

"Optimus." It was Ratchet this time. "I know your on-line." Prime often wondered how the medic could sound both grumpy and amused at the same time.

Gently Ratchet helped Optimus to sit up enough to get a clear visage of the room but not so much he put unnecessary pressure on the fresh welds on his midsection. Something moving from the corner of this optics made him glancing over to the other side of the room. Optimus could see a small container on the floor with a few wires hanging out of it. Knelling beside it was Wheeljack cleaning up fluids and other liquids that had made their way to the floor when the objects that now sat in the container had been put inside. The glance was only a moment because of the thought of something that had once been inside of him if only for a little under a week - though it felt longer - was no longer there made him even more nauseated.

Looking up and taking in the room he noticed the proper mech's were present and to his slight surprise so was Teletran who was standing in the back hand on his hip staring off at something to his right.

"How you feel Optimus?"

Looking down, there was Blair again, a welcome site nonetheless. "Better though. . .odd."

"That's suspected." Ratchet stated looking at him. "Do you think you'd be able to stand?"

000

He wasn't really aware of what he was yet so he didn't realize what he really did next, not yet. His systems maybe _instinctively_ sent a single to another part of his systems and the next thing he knew he could really, what we'd call, 'see'. What he saw above him was dark gray. He didn't know it at the moment nor would he for a while yet, but he couldn't see the color, though there wasn't really any other color beside gray to begin with. Shifting where he laid, he wanted what wasn't their, that was suppose to be there, back.

The names to what he felt he didn't know but he knew he didn't like them, he wanted them to go away for the presence he wanted back to come and sooth them, to make them go away. They were the feelings of loneliness, insecurity, fear. Even with the comfortable warmth around him he didn't want it, he wanted that _other_ warmth, that _other_ safety. Clenching his fists he then unclenched them and paused staring up at the dark gray above him. There! He could feel it! Why couldn't he see it? Where was it? He didn't care if he couldn't see it he just wanted it around him again, giving him that comfort he so desperately craved.

Just as he was about to call out for it to some how to get it to come to him two blurry objects came within his vision. He flinched away at the suddenness not just out of fear but the black figures suddenly making something within him hurt. His head. Shaking his head he look back up. The forms where more sharpened now but they were still black with shades of gray around them. Looking closer he noticed something off about the one on the left. The polygonal shapes staring down at him though gray somehow he knew they where suppose to be a shade of blue. Perhaps involuntary he let out a low, soft sound what it was he didn't know it just happened because he made it so. To those outside, to the figures above him it sounded like a whistle.

There it was! Somehow he knew that was the comfort and security just with an embodiment. The forms above saw him smile though he wasn't quite aware he was doing so. Perhaps it was then, when to objects appeared beside him that he realized he also had form just on a much smaller scale. The small obejects were his arms. This newly found realization only lasted a moment as he saw two large _things_ coming down at him this time he really _did_ flinch away. There was a faint sound around him but he didn't understand nor focus on them, the _things_ had only pause a moment before continuing their decent on him and grabbing him around his middle. There was just a moment of weightlessness before, hesitantly after a few still silent moments, he on-lined his optics for the second time and he looked up.

The bright faintly gray eyes had more than just a black mass around them but actual volume. A head. The eyes looked down at him softly with a sense of utter fondness and love. Bringing his small hand he'd seen earlier, somehow knowing it belonged to him and would obey his commands, he brought it up an tentatively touched the gray thing below the eyes. It was solid and slightly warm to the touch.

This. . ._this _is what he had been wanting and now it was back with him again and he had no plans of letting it go.

000

He was so small so much so he easily could sit in the crook of his arm and still have room left over but Optimus Prime had never seen something. . .someone so beautiful. His light blue glassy optics staring up at him wide with awe and curiosity, his small hand touching his mask. Optimus leaned into the touch finally realizing what that odd sensation really was; it was the bond he'd made in the past week. The synchronization of his and his son's spark's. It also was beautiful and then and there, watching the small being press his cheek against his large chest and content in his red arms, Prime thought, he wouldn't have it any other way. That he, now, wouldn't know what to do with himself if that feeling he now had wasn't there.

_"Who rides so late through the night and wind?_

_It's the father with his child;_

_He has the boy safe in his arm,_

_He holds him secure, he holds him warm."_

_- Erlking (1782) by; von Johann Wolfgang von Goethe_

End. . .?

000_  
_

A/N:

About the poem. The two are the same, the first is the original German version the second is the English translation by Hyde Flippo on About(dot)com. Check out my blogger for details. If you look it up and read the rest of the poem, don't worry I know what the rest of it says I just liked the beginning of it.

Took to long. Sorry! I've never reworked something so many times. I may end up adding a ending to it but I'm leaving it as it is because a)the ending I didn't like b)and its about time I wrapped it up. Its an epilogue! Its suppose to be short! Oh, I was going to add a little more to the ending but I didn't want it to be cliche. But if you read my other stuff, one story particular, you know who the sparkling is.

But alas folks it's the ending. Despite being a little troublesome I absolutely loved working on this, there's a lot of stuff that I didn't include or left out or deleted, maybe someday and some time I'll post them up and all that. I really hoped you enjoyed it for those who read and what knot. To the great guy who this is dedicated to, MyBlueOblivion, I hope you enjoyed it also! Thanks for everything most of all your support giving me motivation/inspiration.

Do, please review; constructive crit. welcomed. Take your flames elsewhere.

TF's and all related char(s) belong to Hasbro, Takara, and all associated co.

Except for Blair, Teletran, the sparkling, and the plot, which are mine

Names and/of char(s) are entirely coincidental


End file.
